ABSTRACT
This chapter describes how young children develop their mathematical understanding, whilst remaining loyal to the principle that every child one will spend time with is a unique individual. Young children are constantly learning. The chapter examines the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate programme, the New Zealand approach to mathematics and the English National Curriculum. One of the most influential texts exploring how one come to understand mathematics through problem solving activity is Thinking Mathematically by John Mason with Leone Burton and Kaye Stacey, published in 1985 by Pearson Education. In an article available on the NRich website based at Cambridge University Sue Gifford describes how early years practitioners can support young learners in becoming confident mathematical problem solvers. The first phase of learning about measuring in the PYP scope and sequence document suggests that: Learners will develop an understanding of how measurement involves the comparison of objects and the ordering and sequencing of events.
