The Value of Play in Supporting a Child’s Mathematical Development

by | Aug 26, 2023 | mathematics

 

Scenario
Some of your colleagues are interested in learning more about the value of play in supporting a child’s mathematical development. Your team leader has asked you to present at the next staff meeting about why maths is so important and how children can develop their mathematical thinking and numeracy processes through play.
Presentation requirements
Part 1 – Mathematics and Numeracy in the world around us
Explore how mathematics and numeracy are all around us by sharing 3 examples of where we see mathematics and numeracy skills being used in everyday lives. You should provide, and explain, one example of each of the following:
Nature—An example of mathematical phenomena found in nature e.g. symmetry in nature as seen as in butterflies
Society—An example of where mathematics is applied in society e.g. engineers use mathematics to construct stable bridges
Personal—An example of numeracy skills used in everyday life e.g. administering medicine to children
Important note: There are lots of examples of mathematics and numeracy in the world around us so think carefully about your audience when selecting each example. Is it something that would be interesting and relevant to them?
Briefly explain each example—what it is, where it is seen and what mathematical concepts or numeracy processes are involved. Consider what the implications would be if the mathematics skills were lacking or incorrect and what consequence this might have on the situation.
Part 2 – Mathematics and Numeracy in play
Outline the importance of play in children’s development with links to relevant literature (e.g. curriculum documents and/or academic research) Please also try to use Australian references such as EYLF
Provide an example of a play-based activity. Include the following for your activity:
A brief explanation of the activity
Identify a suitable age range
A discussion about the mathematics and/or numeracy being explored in your activity
Justification linking to 1-2 contemporary perspectives for how children develop their mathematics and numeracy skills through your described activity.

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

 

The Value of Play in Supporting a Child’s Mathematical Development
Part 1: Mathematics and Numeracy in the World Around Us
Nature: Symmetry in Nature
Example: The patterns found in the wings of butterflies. Explanation: Symmetry is a mathematical concept that refers to the balance and similarity of an object or shape when divided into equal parts. In nature, we often observe bilateral symmetry, where one half of an object is the mirror image of the other. Butterflies exhibit this symmetry in their wing patterns. Understanding symmetry helps children develop spatial awareness and visual discrimination skills. If the mathematical concept of symmetry were lacking, children might struggle with pattern recognition and visual perception.

Society: Engineers and Stable Bridges
Example: Engineers using mathematics to construct stable bridges. Explanation: In society, mathematics is applied in various fields, such as engineering. Engineers use mathematical concepts like geometry, trigonometry, and physics to design and construct stable bridges. Without a solid understanding of mathematics, engineers would not be able to ensure the structural integrity of bridges, leading to potential collapse or safety hazards. This example highlights the practical importance of mathematics in real-world applications.

Personal: Administering Medicine to Children
Example: Numeracy skills used in everyday life, such as administering medicine to children. Explanation: Numeracy skills are essential for tasks like measuring and administering medicine to children. Parents or caregivers need to accurately measure the correct dosage based on the child’s weight or age. Incorrect measurement could lead to under or overdosing, potentially causing harm to the child’s health. Numeracy skills ensure accurate measurement and promote safe medication administration.

Part 2: Mathematics and Numeracy in Play
Play is crucial for children’s development as it provides opportunities for them to explore, experiment, and make sense of the world around them. Through play, children can develop their mathematical thinking and numeracy processes. The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) in Australia emphasizes the importance of play-based learning for young children’s mathematical development.

Research suggests that play-based activities can enhance children’s mathematical understanding (Fleer & Hardy, 2019). By engaging in purposeful play experiences, children can develop key mathematical concepts such as number sense, measurement, spatial awareness, and problem-solving skills.

Example Play-based Activity:

Activity: Building with Blocks Age Range: Suitable for preschool-aged children (3-5 years) Explanation: In this activity, children are provided with a variety of blocks and are encouraged to build structures using their imagination and creativity. They can stack, balance, and arrange the blocks to create different shapes and structures.

Mathematics and Numeracy Explored:

Spatial Awareness: Children develop an understanding of spatial relationships as they manipulate blocks to create structures.
Measurement: Children can compare the size and length of different blocks, exploring concepts like bigger/smaller, longer/shorter.
Problem-Solving: Building with blocks requires problem-solving skills as children determine how to balance blocks and create stable structures.
Justification: Contemporary Perspective 1: Constructivist Theory Constructivist theory suggests that children actively construct their knowledge through hands-on experiences and interactions with their environment (Piaget, 1952). Building with blocks allows children to engage in constructive play, where they manipulate materials and explore mathematical concepts through their actions.

Contemporary Perspective 2: Socio-cultural Theory Socio-cultural theory emphasizes the role of social interactions and cultural context in children’s learning (Vygotsky, 1978). Through block play, children can collaborate with peers, share ideas, and negotiate problem-solving strategies. This social interaction supports their mathematical development by providing opportunities for language development, reasoning, and cognitive growth.

By incorporating play-based activities like building with blocks into early childhood settings, educators can foster children’s mathematical thinking and numeracy skills while promoting a love for learning.

 

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