Abstract
One prospect facing early years practitioners is the possibility that if they have negative
attitudes to mathematics, these may be communicated to and have a negative effect upon
the learning of young children who are at a sensitive stage of their growth and
development. This article reports on a study that explored the dispositions and perceptions
of a small group of early years practitioners (students on a Foundation Degree in Early
Years Care and Education working towards senior practitioner level) in respect of their
own feelings towards mathematics and their perceptions of whether these affected their
ability to teach children effectively. It examines the role of attitudes and dispositions in the
teaching and learning of mathematics through a survey of the literature, and will briefly
consider the role of subject knowledge in supporting effective learning and teaching. It will
then consider the perceptions of the early years practitioners participating in the project in
relation to these issues.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Childhoods Today: An Online Journal for Childhood Studies |
Volume | 1 |
Issue number | 2 |
Publication status | Published - 18 Dec 2007 |