Toys as dual pivots for imaginative play and mathematics

Abstract

Presently in Malta there is a move towards an informal pedagogy in kindergarten (ages 3 – 5), through which the teacher is expected to support the learning of mathematics by interacting with children as they play. Taking the role of teacher-researcher, I carried out a small scale study wherein I first observed children play on their own, then later interacted with them as they played. Drawing on Vygotsky (1967), Walkerdine (1988) and Sfard (2008), I considered ‘learning mathematics’ as a shift from a play discourse to a mathematical discourse. In particular, play items were considered to serve as ‘dual pivots’ for new meanings. In this paper I focus on one child, using the empirical data to articulate a theory with which one can discuss children’s learning of mathematics in play settings.