PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING THE NUMBER CONCEPT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Abstract

The study proposes to understand, approach, and promote mathematical knowledge in preschool without preventing the systematization of mathematics from the elementary School curriculum. It aims to answer the question: “How may pedagogic practices contribute to the construction of number concepts in preschool?”. Through a literature review, an attempt was made to conceptualize the most appropriate pedagogical practices to help stimulate and enhance children's numerical and logical-mathematical sense of development in early childhood education through playful activities and strategically proposed situations by the teacher. Preschool acts as the foundation for the construction of cognitive skills, such as logical-mathematical thinking, problem solving, critical thinking and creativity. As such, it is crucial to start promoting them as early as possible. The research contemplated various ways to provide children opportunities to explore and be exposed to a favorable learning environment that allows them to explore and experiment mathematical concepts in a meaningful, playful, and effective manner. The study was based on the works of Jean Piaget (1976), Lev Vygotsky (1984), Kamii (2012) and Lorenzato (2008). It found that the teaching-learning process presents more significant results when the pedagogic practices that stimulate the development of mental processes for the construction of numerical sense utilize resources such as games, playful activities, and object manipulation.