Matematiserande i förskolan. Geometri i multimodal interaktion

The thesis investigates how mathematics is incorporated into everyday activities in kindergartens. The starting point for the study is that mathematics and learning mathematics is a social process, rather than an individual mental process. The three research questions are: 1) How are environments and activities organised in order to make the exploration of mathematics possible? 2) How do participants use numbers, their bodies and material surroundings to actualise a geometric discourse in everyday activities? 3) What type of opportunities and limitations regarding the exploration of geometric shapes, characteristics and concepts emerge from the interaction between children and educators?

The results show that both the children and the educators took the initiative in the mathematical activities and developed them together. The children changed and broadened the mathematical learning content during the activities and the educators followed up the children’s initiatives. The children showed mathematical knowledge both verbally and through their body language, and a mathematical discourse was created through the activities. The researcher believes that the results show that such a mathematical discourse is created in the multimodal interactions between children and educators during the activities, and that teaching in kindergarten must be seen as an interactive process and not just as a result of the educator’s actions. At the same time, she emphasises that it is the educator who is primarily responsible for creating an environment where children can develop their mathematical knowledge. 

Over a period of eight months, the researcher observed everyday life in two Swedish kindergartens, both of which focused on incorporating mathematical activities into everyday kindergarten life. The data material consists of video recordings, field notes and photographs. Special focus was placed on how mathematics was made relevant in the children’s interaction with each other, the educators and the material environment, by analysing speech, body language and the use of materials. 

Gejard, G. (2018). «Matematiserande i förskolan. Geometri i multimodal interaktion». Akademisk avhandling. Uppsala Universitet.