Use of multiple representations in understanding addition: The case of pre-school children

Abstract

An important objective in mathematics education is to ensure learners' comprehension of the subject through effective teaching and learning, as emphasized by many countries worldwide, such as the United States, Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia in terms of the organization of mathematics and its curriculum documents. This paper explores young children's (6 years old) use of multiple representations in understanding the concept of addition during problem-solving activities. The study employed a case study research design, comprising two young children in one preschool centre. Data collection included observation, dialogue with the children, and an analysis of various creations and usage of representation that shed light into both children's capacity in utilizing different representation forms and performing translations. The findings unveiled the children's capability in using a variety of representation forms, and performing translations within, and between different representation forms (with prompting). This study discusses the importance of facilitating the early development of young children's use of multiple representations and performing translations to support their deep comprehension of the concept of addition.