THE DEVELOPMENTAL SEQUENCES OF THE CHILD'S

CONCEPTION OF NUMBER

Abstract

This study concerns itself with the development an abstract concept of number in youonfg children The developmental sequences of number are studied, too.
The purpose is to analyse the child's coception of number from two aspects, one is the magnitude of the numlber and the other is a set of tasks which are given under different stimulus condition.
The numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6are used. And the tasks are as follows
1.Comparative judgment of the number of the two aggregates which comprfse the different number of elements or the same number of elements.
2.Estimation of the number of an aggregates under the different stimulus pattern.
3.Division of the aggregates into the smaller ones which comprise the same number of elements.
4.Construction of the given number of an aggregate out of elements.
5.Taking into Account the change in the number of an aggregate produced by addition and subtraction of an element.
6. Reproduction. of the figures which comprise a regular pattern, a circular riattern and an irregular pattern with “go” pieces.
7.Response in accordance with the principle of the conservation of number.
8. Tasks with, respect to the seriation and ordinal umber.
A total of 200. Ss are tested in this study, they are divided into two groups by half year intervals, from 4: 0 to 4: 5, And from 4: 6 to 4:.11. With respect to sex, each group comprises 50 boys and 50 girs.
The results are as follows;
1.In general the elder group is more successful on each eask than the younger group.
2.The response pattern of the elder group seems to be same that of.5 year-old children.
3.When they compare the number of two aggregates, Ss are influenced by the perceptual configuration.
4.The magnitude of numbers is scalable, according to the, order of difficulty.
5.The Set of tasks is scalable, according to the Order of difficulty But number, 5 and 6 are not scalable according to the order of difficulty of the set of tasks.
6.There is some difference between the large numbers and the small numbers with respect to the difficulty of the tasks.
7. Comparing the stimulus condition which comprises the same number of elements and different number of elements, the type of response is not different.
8. The younger group can not understand one-toone correspondence.
9. They can not understand the ordinal number.
10. They can not aquire the conservation concept.
11. The.developmentals equences of number concep tare as follows;
1). The period they can not understand any number operation.
2).The2 period they can understand the lower numer operation, for instance, they can estbimate things, in, accordance with the verbal label, they-can understand the operation of. addition and subtraction, and they can understand one-to-one correspondence.
3).The period they can understand the verbal label. Even, if the magnitude of number is large, they can estimate the aggregate of the number.
4) The period they can abstract the numeral dimenof the stimulus, for instance, they are not influenced, by the perceptual configuration.
5). The period they can understand the higher level of the number construction, for instance, they, can understand the ordinal number and the conservation concept is held.