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© Copyright M. Worthington & E. Carruthers 2012 |
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 Carruthers, E. &
Worthington, M. (2006) Children’s
Mathematics: Making Marks, Making Meaning.
London: Sage. 2nd Edition.
This publication is used as a key text in
many university courses on early years
mathematics education, and on courses on
symbolic representation relating to literacy
and numeracy.
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Foreword
for First edition: Worthington, M. and
Carruthers, E. (2003) Children’s
Mathematics: Making Marks, Making Meaning.
London: Paul Chapman.
This is a very
important book not least because of its
range. The authors have gathered evidence
from children over a 15-year period. They
analysed almost 700 samples of children's
graphics showing how powerful patterns of
cognition (schemas) in the early years of
development gradually evolve into
recognisable forms of writing and
mathematics. Their aim, and unique
achievement, has been to chart the progress
of children's thinking through their
mark-making from birth to 8. They have
bridged the gap between Early Years and
primary education. Chris Athey
For full Foreword, please click here |
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Foreword
for second edition: Carruthers, E. and
Worthington, M. (2006) Children’s
Mathematics: Making Marks, Making Meaning.
London: Sage Publications.
This is one of
the most important books on emergent
mathematical thought in infancy and early
childhood ever written. Those of us who have
devoted our lifetimes attempting to
understand the origin and development of
expressive, representational and symbolic
thought in infancy and childhood, and how
best to support it, quickly came to realise
that the beginnings of linguistic and
mathematical thought are embedded in rather
commonplace actions and drawings made by the
infant and young child. Tragically, these
crucial beginnings of expressive,
representational and symbolic thought are
often discounted completely and receive
little or no support from the pedagogical
environment. John Matthews
For full Foreword, please click here |
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One of
several reviews of this book:
Once in a while,
a very long while, there emerges a book
about the education of young children, which
has the power to transform how teachers
teach. Children’s Mathematics: Making Marks,
Making Meaning is such a book and it comes
not a moment too soon. For far too long
educators have seriously under-estimated the
challenge posed to young children by symbol
systems. At long last this void in research
has been addressed and this book provides
practitioners with the wherewithal to
nurture young children’s introduction to
mathematics and ease the transition from
informal to formal mathematics in a way that
is consistent with how they learn.
Branwen Llewelyn Jones
For full review, please click here |
The authors make it
clear that ‘graphics’ is so much more than merely an
‘outcome’. Graphics in mathematical experiences are
part of the processes of maths learning and the
whole problem-generating and problem-solving ethos
that we try, as educators, to develop in, and for,
our learners. Those playful mathematical experiences
and challenges which are initiated by the child are
likely to be richer and more motivating as well as
being a stimulus for children’s sense of self-worth,
self-confidence and competence. They are also more
likely to ensure that the children’s voices are
clearly heard amongst the (necessary but sometimes
overwhelming) bureaucracy and direction which seem
to permeate curriculum and assessment in England
especially.
Janet Moyles Foreword:
For full Foreword, please click here |
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