Page 401 - Štemberger Tina, Čotar Konrad Sonja, Rutar Sonja, Žakelj Amalija. Ur. 2022. Oblikovanje inovativnih učnih okolij. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem
P. 401
Use of the Picture Book in Teaching Mathematics and Serbian Language
life, then, is to draw attention to the mathematics embedded in the litera-
ture of everyday life, to reveal the mathematics inherent in human thinking
and communication about life experiences.’
From the aspect of elementary mathematics education and the learn-
ing and adoption of language, the picture book enables children to place
abstract concepts and unknown words into a familiar or interesting back-
ground. ‘Good, but ordinary, picture books – in the sense that they are not
written to teach mathematics – have the power to get children thinking
mathematically’ (Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Van den Boogaard, and Doig
2009, 30). The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000) also advo-
cates using content from children’s literature in mathematics education. This
is logical given that ‘the process of developing mathematical concepts must
be placed in a realistic context, a child is motivated to participate in learn-
ing, and the learning process is stimulated by the internal initiatives of the
child’ (Maričić, Stakić, and Malinović-Jovanović 2018, 632). This way, picture
books can support children in attaching personal meaning to the mathe-
matical objects involved in the books (Marston 2010, 324). Picture books may
contribute to the development of children’s attitudes toward mathematics
(Griffiths and Clyne 1991) and can provide children with informal world of ex-
periences which embodies mathematical concepts and structures (Ginsburg
and Seo 1999).
From the aspect of language learning and adoption, placing unknown or
less familiar words into a well-known and familiar context helps students
with learning difficulties in vocabulary development, stabilisation of their ac-
tive vocabulary and conversion of passive into active vocabulary to sponta-
neously overcome these difficulties. Book reading contributes significantly
to children’s vocabulary and concept development (Dickinson and Tabors
2001). This way, children are introduced to new words, and it is especially
important that the introduction and familiarisation occur in well-known sit-
uations and contexts. Children’s attention is drawn toward words and con-
cepts, they are associated with already adopted concepts and with existing
knowledge, which is very important for children with learning disabilities.
Therefore, it is crucial to depict a subject matter familiar to the child, be-
cause through repetition at the level of phonemes, words and phrases, it fa-
cilitates the adoption of a vocabulary (according to Martinović and Stričević
2011, 54). If we start from the attitude of L. S. Vigotsky that language has a
central role in the learning process, and that it occurs in socially constructed
situations, then the picture book has a central role in that process. Its con-
tent enables the aforementioned socially constructed situations which rep-
401
life, then, is to draw attention to the mathematics embedded in the litera-
ture of everyday life, to reveal the mathematics inherent in human thinking
and communication about life experiences.’
From the aspect of elementary mathematics education and the learn-
ing and adoption of language, the picture book enables children to place
abstract concepts and unknown words into a familiar or interesting back-
ground. ‘Good, but ordinary, picture books – in the sense that they are not
written to teach mathematics – have the power to get children thinking
mathematically’ (Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Van den Boogaard, and Doig
2009, 30). The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000) also advo-
cates using content from children’s literature in mathematics education. This
is logical given that ‘the process of developing mathematical concepts must
be placed in a realistic context, a child is motivated to participate in learn-
ing, and the learning process is stimulated by the internal initiatives of the
child’ (Maričić, Stakić, and Malinović-Jovanović 2018, 632). This way, picture
books can support children in attaching personal meaning to the mathe-
matical objects involved in the books (Marston 2010, 324). Picture books may
contribute to the development of children’s attitudes toward mathematics
(Griffiths and Clyne 1991) and can provide children with informal world of ex-
periences which embodies mathematical concepts and structures (Ginsburg
and Seo 1999).
From the aspect of language learning and adoption, placing unknown or
less familiar words into a well-known and familiar context helps students
with learning difficulties in vocabulary development, stabilisation of their ac-
tive vocabulary and conversion of passive into active vocabulary to sponta-
neously overcome these difficulties. Book reading contributes significantly
to children’s vocabulary and concept development (Dickinson and Tabors
2001). This way, children are introduced to new words, and it is especially
important that the introduction and familiarisation occur in well-known sit-
uations and contexts. Children’s attention is drawn toward words and con-
cepts, they are associated with already adopted concepts and with existing
knowledge, which is very important for children with learning disabilities.
Therefore, it is crucial to depict a subject matter familiar to the child, be-
cause through repetition at the level of phonemes, words and phrases, it fa-
cilitates the adoption of a vocabulary (according to Martinović and Stričević
2011, 54). If we start from the attitude of L. S. Vigotsky that language has a
central role in the learning process, and that it occurs in socially constructed
situations, then the picture book has a central role in that process. Its con-
tent enables the aforementioned socially constructed situations which rep-
401
