Whether in Reception or nursery, it is vital that the learning environment matches the needs of the individual four- or five-year-old and promotes their understanding of mathematical concepts and early mark-making.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Four- and five-year-olds need lots of uninterrupted time to explore their interests within ‘enabling environments’, indoors and out, that are appropriate to their development needs. Essential too is the support of informed practitioners with the knowledge and understanding to support children’s own learning. The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) still offers free online training modules for practitioners. Registration is free and the training identifies:
One problem is that practitioners often limit their observations and assessments of children’s mathematical learning to adult-directed focus activities. Consequently, children’s incidental maths learning is often missed as practitioners focus on preconceived learning intentions.
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