A Study On The Development Of Early Fraction Concept In Young Children Aged 3-6

The purpose of this study was to investigate the developmental characteristics in the early fraction of 3-6 year old kids,including the sub-section,amount ratio (comparison on the units),equivalence,and computing.A sample of 180 children aged 3-6 from 12 classes in two ordinary kindergartens in Shanghai participated in the study.The tests to assess children's fraction ability were adapted from Hunting and etc.'s study(Hunting,& Sharpley,1988;Levine,Mix,& Huttenlocher,1999).And the other tests to exanimate unit comparison and equivalence were developed by the investigator.Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the characteristics of children's development of early fraction,including its four parts;MNOVA was used to examine the age and gender differences in early fraction;the education significance implied in the developmental characteristics in early fraction was discussed at the same time.The result indicated that:1)Sub-section.The top two in the development of sub-section of children aged 3-6 in three age groups are halving and sub-four.The order measured by the scores of sub-six and trisect in different classes was different. Significant age difference was found in the five sub-projects,but there was no significant gender difference in them.With the age increased,young children performed better and better on the sub-two items,while there were no significant differences between the scores of the three age periods on the sub-five items.2) Comparison.The mean scores about comparison in the same unit achieved by children aged 3-6 were better than which were in different units.There were significant age differences,but no significant gender differences.The age of 4～5 is a period that children's consciousness of units is greatly increased.3)Equivalence.The mean scores of sub-equivalence of children aged 3-6 ranked from high to low was 1 /2=2/4,1/2=3/6,2/4=3/6,1/3=2/6.There were significant age differences,but no significant gender differences.The children have possessed primary cognition and understanding of the equivalence conception before they enter elementary school.4)Computing.The computing of children aged 3-6 was consisted of addition and subtraction.In addition,the highest score was achieved in 1/2+1/2, 1/4+3/4;in subtraction,the highest score was achieved in1-1/2,1/2-1/4,1-3/4; There were significant age differences,but no significant gender differences in computing.The development of early fraction conception understanding was relatively obvious at all the three age periods.5)Early fraction concept.The mean scores achieved by the children aged 3-6 in the four components of early fraction concept ranked from high to low be comparison,sub-section,computing and equivalence.There were significant age differences,but no significant gender differences.6)The two image level of material object and picture.The significant main effect was found only in halving and sub-five in the two-image level of material object and picture of children aged 5-6,and there were no significant difference in the other projects.