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Mathematics Education in the Early Years pp 79–92Cite as

Patterning as a Mathematical Activity: An Analysis of Young Children’s Strategies When Working with Repeating Patterns

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Abstract

In both educational and research settings on repeating patterns, the focus seems to be put more on the product (i.e., the correct solution) than on the process (i.e., the strategies children employ in solving a patterning task). This chapter explores different patterning strategies and strategy use in early childhood and reflects on selected patterning tasks from a strategy point of view. One hundred and fifty-nine 3- to 5-year-old children were interviewed while working on various patterning tasks, and their strategies were coded into five strategy categories and quantified. Results show that young children use a variety of different patterning strategies, with the older children using more advanced strategies more often. When considering the mathematical structure of repeating patterns, it becomes apparent that most young children approach patterning activities without referring to or using the unit of repeat.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    German kindergarten comprises the three years before school entry, i.e., children start kindergarten when they are 3 years old.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany

    Miriam M. Lüken

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  1. Miriam M. Lüken
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Correspondence to Miriam M. Lüken .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematical Sciences Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway

    Martin Carlsen , Ingvald Erfjord  & Per Sigurd Hundeland ,  & 

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Lüken, M.M. (2020). Patterning as a Mathematical Activity: An Analysis of Young Children’s Strategies When Working with Repeating Patterns. In: Carlsen, M., Erfjord, I., Hundeland, P.S. (eds) Mathematics Education in the Early Years. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34776-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34776-5_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-34775-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-34776-5

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