2. THE LANGUAGE OF 2. THE LANGUAGE OF MATHEMATICS MATHEMATICS

Around the world people of all ages speak mathAround the world people of all ages speak math

What can an early childhood educator do to What can an early childhood educator do to enhance this process?enhance this process?

Children begin to acquire many language Children begin to acquire many language conceptsconcepts

Language of math is embedded (terpancang) in Language of math is embedded (terpancang) in the development of many verbal the development of many verbal communication skillscommunication skills

Young children enjoy listening & talking in Young children enjoy listening & talking in natural settingnatural setting

Dramatic play is an important activity that Dramatic play is an important activity that encourages spontaneous conversation and role-encourages spontaneous conversation and role-play about the adult worldplay about the adult world

The lyrics of familiar songs and nursery rhymes The lyrics of familiar songs and nursery rhymes give children the opportunity to repeat familiar give children the opportunity to repeat familiar words and phrases in a joyful waywords and phrases in a joyful way

Picture books & stories focus on language Picture books & stories focus on language learning – interesting themes and pictureslearning – interesting themes and pictures

Many traditional songs and nursery Many traditional songs and nursery rhymes contain themes that encourage rhymes contain themes that encourage language learning in Mathlanguage learning in Math

Example – where is thumb kin? (Schiller Example – where is thumb kin? (Schiller & Moore 1993) provides a valuable & Moore 1993) provides a valuable resource for musical material.resource for musical material.

Children learn naturally while enjoying a Children learn naturally while enjoying a wonderful mediumwonderful medium

Developing Math Language Using Developing Math Language Using Song & VerseSong & Verse

Developing Math Language Using Song & VerseDeveloping Math Language Using Song & Verse

Math LanguageMath Language Traditional SongsTraditional Songs

Up and downUp and down ““Eensy Weensy Eensy Weensy Spider”Spider”

Over the MountainOver the Mountain The Bear Went Over The Bear Went Over the Mountainthe Mountain

On the back of the On the back of the crocodilecrocodile

The Crocodile SongThe Crocodile Song

Cool-hotCool-hot

Low-high Low-high The Three BearsThe Three Bears

Twinkle, twinkle Little Twinkle, twinkle Little StarStar

Older children benefit from a clear Older children benefit from a clear understanding of wide variety of understanding of wide variety of technical termstechnical terms, , symbolssymbols, and , and ways of ways of describing procedures in orderdescribing procedures in order to help to help them appreciate the logic of math them appreciate the logic of math sentencesentence

A curriculum that helps children acquire A curriculum that helps children acquire this language will enable them to enjoy its this language will enable them to enjoy its beautybeauty, , patternpattern & & versatility versatility benefit benefit everyday lifeeveryday life

Math Language and Older ChildrenMath Language and Older Children

Math Concepts Found in the Math Concepts Found in the Early Childhood CurriculumEarly Childhood Curriculum

Teachers are often surprised to learn Teachers are often surprised to learn about these wordsabout these words

Everyday word such as ‘over’ & ‘under’ Everyday word such as ‘over’ & ‘under’ are a part of the math curriculumare a part of the math curriculum

Children with limited English proficiency Children with limited English proficiency need more exampleneed more example

Using pantomime, pictures, models and Using pantomime, pictures, models and manipulative. manipulative.

1.Comparing words1.Comparing words

The child gains confidence in observing The child gains confidence in observing differences in a variety of differences in a variety of characteristics such as size, characteristics such as size, temperature or loudnesstemperature or loudness

A child may compare weight by holding A child may compare weight by holding two objects or using a pan scale to two objects or using a pan scale to weigh themweigh them

1.Comparing words1.Comparing words Here is a list of common comparing Here is a list of common comparing

words :words :Big – littleBig – little Toy animals, dolls, people, Toy animals, dolls, people,

carscars

Large-smallLarge-small Beach balls & tennis ballBeach balls & tennis ball

Tall-shortTall-short People, trees, & housePeople, trees, & house

Fast-SlowFast-Slow Song rap or jazz, cars or Song rap or jazz, cars or trucktruck

Hot-ColdHot-Cold Food, drinks & weatherFood, drinks & weather

2. Positional Words2. Positional Words

Help the child grasp (faham) many Help the child grasp (faham) many concepts about space that will be concepts about space that will be important in later learningimportant in later learning

Play in block corner, they have many Play in block corner, they have many opportunities to use these wordsopportunities to use these words

When stack object (objek bertimbun), they When stack object (objek bertimbun), they can talk about the one on top, the one in can talk about the one on top, the one in the middle & one on the bottom.the middle & one on the bottom.

2. Positional Words2. Positional Words

Most difficult words in the positional group Most difficult words in the positional group refer to the concept of left and rightrefer to the concept of left and right

Some teacher have trouble with these two Some teacher have trouble with these two concepts and rely on crutches concepts and rely on crutches (bergantung pd 1 keadaan) such as (bergantung pd 1 keadaan) such as looking at a ring finger to find out which looking at a ring finger to find out which direction isdirection is

Example ”Look at a bird at the tree! Example ”Look at a bird at the tree! Where? On the left!”Where? On the left!”

You may have trouble with right and left You may have trouble with right and left orientationorientation

2. Positional Words2. Positional Words Example :Example :

Playing with a doll or Playing with a doll or a parking garagea parking garage

Stacking Stacking objectsobjects

In, out, outside, apart, In, out, outside, apart, over, underover, under

Top, bottom, Top, bottom, middle, togethermiddle, together

Dishes and the Dishes and the placement food on the placement food on the tabletable

““Your cup is on the right”Your cup is on the right”

Right-leftRight-left

3. Directional Words3. Directional Words

Involve movementInvolve movement Children can perform actions either in the Children can perform actions either in the

form of musical game or gym activityform of musical game or gym activity

Examples :Examples : Using musical activity or using cars & Using musical activity or using cars &

truckstrucks

(Forward, up, toward, around, to the right, (Forward, up, toward, around, to the right, backward, down, away from)backward, down, away from)

4. Sequence Words4. Sequence Words Very importantVery important Develop a sense of order, which will help Develop a sense of order, which will help

the child later when more complex the child later when more complex problems are found in our number systemsproblems are found in our number systems

Examples :Examples :

Making a line of zoo animals where each Making a line of zoo animals where each animal is totally difference from its animal is totally difference from its neighbor :neighbor :

(First, beginning, before, in front of, ahead (First, beginning, before, in front of, ahead of, middle, next to, last, end, after)of, middle, next to, last, end, after)

5. The Language of Time5. The Language of Time Piaget – acquisition (kemahiran) of this Piaget – acquisition (kemahiran) of this

concept begins in ECE, but it is not until concept begins in ECE, but it is not until approximately age 9 that children can approximately age 9 that children can really grasp time conceptsreally grasp time concepts

They start to acquire the concepts of They start to acquire the concepts of morning, afternoon, and nightmorning, afternoon, and night

Children’s time exist in the presentChildren’s time exist in the present

Something is in the past, may quickly Something is in the past, may quickly forgotten unless it was very exciting or forgotten unless it was very exciting or very traumatic eventvery traumatic event

5. The Language of Time5. The Language of Time

In 1In 1stst grade, children learn to tell grade, children learn to tell time using the clocktime using the clock

They begin to learn calendar time, They begin to learn calendar time, includes the day of the week, the includes the day of the week, the names of the months and the names of the months and the concept of a yearconcept of a year

Actual number or date difficult to Actual number or date difficult to remember unless it is a special date remember unless it is a special date such as one’s birthdaysuch as one’s birthday

5. The Language of Time5. The Language of Time Example :Example :

General Time WordsGeneral Time Words

Morning, night, early, afternoon, Morning, night, early, afternoon, tonight, noon, tomorrow, evening, day, tonight, noon, tomorrow, evening, day, latelate

Clock WordsClock Words

Long hand, hour, watch, seconds, Long hand, hour, watch, seconds, short hand, minutes, alarm clockshort hand, minutes, alarm clock

Calendar WordsCalendar Words

Days of week, tomorrow, name of the Days of week, tomorrow, name of the season, holidays, vacation, yesterday, season, holidays, vacation, yesterday, datedate

6. Shape Words6. Shape Words

The baby’s bed has sides. The ball is The baby’s bed has sides. The ball is round... These informal ways of using round... These informal ways of using shape words help child describe everyday shape words help child describe everyday objectobject

Example :Example : Find & talk about shape in the Find & talk about shape in the

environmentenvironment

(round, sides, corners, flat, box, carton, (round, sides, corners, flat, box, carton, circle, square, triangle, tube, stairs, circle, square, triangle, tube, stairs, room)room)

7. Number Words7. Number Words

Group of words describe our Group of words describe our number systemnumber system

Children learn to compare quantity Children learn to compare quantity and to recognize relationships such and to recognize relationships such as more or lessas more or less

Example : “Andy has more raisins Example : “Andy has more raisins than I do”than I do”

7. Number Words7. Number Words

ExamplesExamples Talking about quantity at snack Talking about quantity at snack

time, in the block centertime, in the block center

(more, less, the same, many, fewer, (more, less, the same, many, fewer, greater than, less then)greater than, less then)

7. Number Words7. Number Words Children learn to count, 1, 2, 3Children learn to count, 1, 2, 3 By the middle of 1By the middle of 1stst grade most can count grade most can count

up to 100up to 100

1.Counting numbers1.Counting numbers – start with 1,2,3,4,5 – start with 1,2,3,4,5

2.Whole numbers-2.Whole numbers- include zero, 0,1,2,3,4,5 include zero, 0,1,2,3,4,5

3.Cardinal numbers3.Cardinal numbers – names the total in a – names the total in a set. We match the items in a set to the set. We match the items in a set to the counting numbers * * * *counting numbers * * * *

1 2 3 41 2 3 4

the cardinal numbers is the cardinal numbers is 44

4.Ordinal number – 4.Ordinal number – gives each a position such gives each a position such as 1as 1stst, 2, 2ndnd, 3, 3rdrd, 4, 4thth

7. The Symbols of Math7. The Symbols of Math Math does not use the ABCs to Math does not use the ABCs to

communicatecommunicate These symbols are commonly These symbols are commonly

described in four categoriesdescribed in four categories1.1. Symbols for ideas (1,2,3,X,Y)Symbols for ideas (1,2,3,X,Y)2.2. Symbols for relations (=,=,<,>)Symbols for relations (=,=,<,>)3.3. Symbols for operations (=, -, x, )Symbols for operations (=, -, x, )4.4. Symbols for punctuation ( decimal Symbols for punctuation ( decimal

point, comma, brackets)point, comma, brackets)

The Number SentenceThe Number Sentence A number sentence is written A number sentence is written

horizontally using the various horizontally using the various symbolssymbols

Examples :Examples : Ciko has 12 apples. He gave 1 Ciko has 12 apples. He gave 1

apple to Bengo. How many apples apple to Bengo. How many apples does Ciko have left?does Ciko have left?

Math Sentence 12 – 1 = ?Math Sentence 12 – 1 = ?

Gerenti Beres!!Gerenti Beres!!