The Development of Young Children’s Early Number and Operation Sense and its Implications for Early Childhood Education

In recent years, though, attitudes toward teaching mathematics to young children, including preschoolers, again has changed dramatically. For example, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM, 2000) concluded that “the foundation for children’s mathematical development is established in the earliest years” (p. 73), and, along with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), now takes the position that “high-quality, developmentally

appropriate mathematics education for children 3-6 is vital” (Clements, Copple, & Hyson, 2002, p. 1; see also https://www. naeyc.org/resources/position).