Talking about mathematics in two languages: Can parental views inform the development of digital games for young children?

Authors

  • Troels Lange
  • Tamsin Meaney

Abstract

In this article, the results are presented from a survey of parents’ views about the digital games that their young multilingual children play. Previous research has indicated that parents struggled to describe how their children were learning from playing digital games. The results from this study indicate that parents could provide information about the digital games and the mathematical language they invoked. This information could be useful in developing playful, digital games that support multilingual children to talk about mathematics. The survey also provides insights into the follow-up qualitative research studies that are needed to support the development of new digital games.

References

Bishop, A. J. (1988). Mathematical enculturation: a cultural perspective on mathematics education. Dordrecht: Kluwer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2657-8

Carlsen, M. (2013). Mathematical learning opportunities in kindergarten through the use of digital tools: affordances and constraints. Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, 8 (3), 171-185. https://doi.org/10.18261/ISSN1891-943X-2013-03-04

Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education (6th ed.). London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203029053

Cummins, J. (1996). Negotiating identities: education for empowerment in a diverse society. Ontario: California Association of Bilingual Education.

Falloon, G. (2013). Young students using iPads: app design and content influences on their learning pathways. Computers & Education, 68, 505-521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.06.006

Falloon, G. & Khoo, E. (2014). Exploring young students' talk in iPad-supported collaborative learning environments. Computers & Education, 77, 13-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.04.008

Ginsburg, H. P., Jamalian, A. & Creighan, S. (2013). Cognitive guidelines for the design and evaluation of early mathematics software: the example of MathemAntics. In L. D. English & J. T. Mulligan (Eds.), Reconceptualizing early mathematics learning (pp. 83-120). Dordrect: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6440-8_6

Hardensen, B. & Guđmundsdóttir, G. B. (2012). The digital universe of young children. Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, 7 (3), 221-226. https://doi.org/10.18261/ISSN1891-943X-2012-03-06

Helenius, O., Johansson, M., Lange, T., Meaney, T., Riesbeck, E. & Wernberg, A. (2016). When is preschool children's play mathematical? In T. Meaney, O. Helenius, M. Johansson, T. Lange & A. Wernberg (Eds.), Mathematics education in the early years: results from the POEM2 conference, 2014 (pp. 139- 156). New York: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23935-4

Hore, B. & Meaney, T. (2008). The development of mathematical language in a young child: a pilot study. Early Childhood Folio, 12, 27-31. https://doi.org/10.18296/ecf.0191

Kucirkova, N., Messer, D., Sheehy, K. & Fernández Panadero, C. (2014). Children's engagement with educational iPad apps: insights from a Spanish classroom. Computers & Education, 71, 175-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.10.003

Kunnskapsdepartementet (2011). Framework plan for the content and tasks of kindergarten. Oslo: The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.

Ladel, S. & Kortenkamp, U. (2014). Number concepts - processes of internalization and externalization by the use of multi-touch technology. In U. Kortenkamp, B. Brandt, C. Benz, G. Krummheuer, S. Ladel & R. Vogel (Eds.), Early mathematics learning: selected papers of the POEM 2012 conference (pp. 237-253). New York: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4678-1_15

Lange, T. & Meaney, T. (2013). Ipads and mathematical play: A new kind of sandpit for young children? In B. Ubuz, Ç. Haser & M. A. Mariotti (Eds.), Proceedings from the eighth Congress of European Research in Mathematics Education (CERME 8). (pp. 2138-2147). Ankara: ERME.

Lembrér, D. & Meaney, T. (2016). Preschool children learning mathematical thinking on interactive tables. In T. Meaney, O. Helenius, M. Johansson, T. Lange & A. Wernberg (Eds.), Mathematics education in the early years: Results from the POEM2 conference, 2014 (pp. 235-254). New York: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23935-4

May, S., Hill, R. & Tiakiwai, S. (2004). Bilingual/immersion education: indicators of good practice. Final report to the ministry of education. Hamilton: University of Waikato. Retrieved from https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/5079

McCarthy, B., Li, L. & Tiu, M. (2012). PBS KIDS mathematics transmedia suites in preschool homes: a report to the CPB-PBS Ready to learn initiative. Sanfransisco: WestEd. https://doi.org/10.1145/2485760.2485777

McKenney, S. & Voogt, J. (2010). Technology and young children: how 4-7 year olds perceive their own use of computers. Computers in Human Behavior, 26 (4), 656-664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.01.002

Meyer, B. (2013). Game-based language learning for pre-school children: a design perspective. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 11 (1), 39-48. Retrieved from www.ejel.org

Meyer, M. (2016). Productivity and flexibility of (first) language use. In A. Halai & P. Clarkson (Eds.), Teaching and learning mathematics in multilingual classrooms: issues for policy, practice and teacher education (pp. 143-156). Rotterdam: SensePublishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6300-229-5_10

Neumann, M. M. (2014). An examination of touch screen tablets and emergent literacy in Australian pre-school children. Australian Journal of Education, 58 (2), 109-122. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004944114523368

Noorhidawati, A., Ghalebandi, S. G. & Siti Hajar, R. (2015). How do young children engage with mobile apps? Cognitive, psychomotor, and affective perspective. Computers & Education, 87, 385-395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.07.005

Otterstad, A. M. (2016, April 6). Fellesskap forsvinner fra barnehagen [Community disappears from the kindergarten]. Khrono. Retrieved from http://www.khrono.no/debatt/skape-barnehagelaerere-som-instruktorer-og-barna-som-passive-tilhorere

Palmér, H. & Ebbelin, A. (2013). What is possible to learn? Using ipads in teaching mathematics in preschool. In A. M. Lindmeier & A. Heinze (Eds), Proceedings of PME 37. Mathematics learning across the life span (pp. 425-432). Kiel: PME.

Plowman, L., McPake, J. & Stephen, C. (2008). Just picking it up? Young children learning with technology at home. Cambridge Journal of Education, 38 (3), 303-319. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057640802287564

Plowman, L., Stephen, C. & McPake, J. (2010). Supporting young children's learning with technology at home and in preschool. Research Papers in Education, 25 (1), 93-113. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671520802584061

Radford, L. (2008). The ethics of being and knowing: towards a cultural theory of learning. In L. Radford, G. Schubring & F. Seeger (Eds.), Semiotics in mathematics education: epistemology, history, classroom and culture (pp. 215- 234). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789087905972_013

Sundby, C. (2016, May 27). Minoritetsspråklige barn må få støtte til å utvikle morsmålet [Minority language-speaking children must get support to develop their mother tongue]. Utdanningsnytt.no. Retrieved from https://www.utdanningsnytt.no/debatt/2016/mai/minoritetsspraklige-barn-ma-fa-stotte-til-a-utvikle-morsmalet/

Zevenbergen, R. & Logan, H. (2008). Computer use by preschool children: rethinking practice as digital natives comes to preschool. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 33 (1), 37-44. https://doi.org/10.1177/183693910803300107

Downloads

Published

2024-11-19

How to Cite

Lange, T., & Meaney, T. (2024). Talking about mathematics in two languages: Can parental views inform the development of digital games for young children?. NOMAD Nordic Studies in Mathematics Education, 23(3-4), 203–223. Retrieved from https://tidsskrift.dk/NOMAD/article/view/148986

Issue

Section

Articles