What are the advantages and disadvantages of early exposure of children to mathematical language in primary school?
Advantages
(1) It helps equip children with a uniquely powerful tools (logical reasoning, problem-solving skills and ability to think in abstract ways) to understand and to develop their imagination. Thus, this serves as a bridge between concrete and abstract representation.
For example: When children are given concrete materials to work with, it can help them understand the mathematical concepts, so when they are given task that need higher thinking processes (problem solving questions) they are able to understand immediately. Children will also able to do modelling and transformation of mathematical concepts.
(2) Children can learn to communicate mathematically. This helps young children to develop confidence in their ability to understand and use mathematics. In other words, to see mathematics within their reach.
For example: Children can present and convey information in many ways such as using diagrams, graphs to represent data.
(3) Increase children’s motivation to participate in the mathematics activities and lessons. Therefore, this could help enhance their achievement in mathematics and this also could act as a foundation for them to think critically and logically as they grow older.
(4) Helps improve social interactions. It encourages interaction between peers and between the teacher and the children. Children become more confident to answer and discuss questions as well as to participate in class activities.
(5) Early exposure to mathematical language helps children expand their technical terminology as they proceed from one level to the next in order to avoid confusion and misconceptions.
For example: Children will learn new terms such as adjacent, interior angles, polygon (Topic: Geometry).
(6) It also helps foster positive attitudes towards mathematics. Where in the early stages, there are plenty of opportunities for the children to explore and play, to see relationships in things around them, to solve problems and to see mathematics in a positive light.
Disadvantages
(1) It can cause children to become confused as they sometimes are unable to make connections between abstract or conceptual aspect of mathematics with reality.
For example:
(a) The word table in mathematics would mean addition or multiplication tables, in which they learn the concepts of addition or multiplication, where in everyday life, table is simply a piece of furniture with a flat top, supported by legs.
(b) Volume, in mathematics is about learning the concepts of shape and space, but the children might think it as a volume control for the television or radio.
To overcome: Teacher must explain technical terms clearly.
(2) Children may not be ready to understand a mathematics concept or skill because of their conceptual development. Children learn mathematics concept slowly than we realise. These make learning mathematics even more difficult among the children as some mathematical terms that are used are no where to be heard outside the classroom and during everyday interaction. For example: equation, subset, etc.
To overcome: Teacher must teach mathematical concepts according to the children’s level of understanding.
(3) Early exposure to mathematical language can cause children to be uninterested in learning mathematics at a later stage as they tend to get mentally exhausted.
To overcome: Make learning mathematics more FUN.
(4) Ineffective learning among the children. This is when the teacher fails to carefully plan the mathematics lesson and expose mathematical languages that are not suitable for their learning development. Therefore, learning may not take place effectively and thus this could develop learning gap in the children and contributes to weak foundations in mathematics.
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