CHILDREN´ S DRAWINGS - RESOURCE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND OBSERVATION OF PERCEPTION OF NUMBERS OF CHILDREN - Abstract

Oct 15, 2026

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Children’s drawings are used as an appropriate approach for understanding preschoolers’ individuality and their perceptions, especially when children cannot express thoughts precisely due to limited vocabulary. The paper focuses on drawings as a communication tool to obtain early numerical conceptions and to observe how children assign number conceptions to numerical information. The study investigates the process of mapping numerical information to the concepts of number and analyzes children’s drawings of number 3.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

1. Introduction

2. Development of preschool children´s conceptions of number

Volume 4, Number 2-3, 2011 CHILDREN´ S DRAWINGS – RESOURCE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND OBSERVATION OF PERCEPTION OF NUMBERS OF CHILDREN Gabriela Pavlovičová – Valéria Švecová Abstract: Children´s drawing is one of the most appropriate approach to knowing children, their individuality and also their perceptions. Child is not always able to express their thoughts precisely, because their vocabulary is still incomplete and is gained just lately. In our paper we concentrate on drawing as a communication means, with which we can obtain primary numerical conceptions of children. We deal with observation of children’s perceptions of number. We investigate process in which to numerical information the conceptions of numbers are assigned. The numerical information is word three and the child’s drawing is used to mediate the numerical conceptions of children. The activity was realized with the children in the kindergarten. We analyzed draw children’s conceptions of number 3 and created concept map from those drawings. Key words: children’s drawing, number conception, concept map Code from 2010 MSC: 97C70 1. Introduction It is difficult to identify preschool children´s knowledge about the world they live in. One way of getting to know their representations is studying their drawings (Dulamă, Ilovan, Vanea, 2009) . According to Piaget (1970), the drawing is a form of semiotic function, which has its place between the symbolic game and figurative conception. R. Davido (2001) claims about the child’s drawing that a child probably does not already know or does not already want to express himself/herself verbally; however, his/her drawings can reveal much about him/her and his/her real and imaginary world. The quality of not only motoric but also of cognitive and emotional growth of a child is reflected exactly in the child’s drawing. It is the drawing that helps to organize the world into the unity of shapes. Children´s drawing is one of the most appropriate approach to knowing children, their individuality and also their perceptions. Children like drawing; it is pleasant activity for them. Drawing as tool for knowing children is used: • for testing mental level, • as a communication means, • as a means of observation of children´s expression of their inner world, • as a means of expressing children’s knowledge about their body and its position in space. We concentrate on drawing as a communication means, with which we can obtain primary numerical conceptions of children in our paper. The most common means of communication is speech. However it is not the simplest means. Child is not always able to express their thoughts precisely, because their vocabulary is still incomplete and is gained just lately. That is why drawing is popular means of expression, because it does not need any skills except holding pencil in the hand. Drawing is not only one-sided description or self-expression of child in relation to their social surrounding, but it becomes a dialogue between the child and reality known by them. It also reflects certain ontogenetically and mental level of a child, their skills and knowledge. Drawing is for most children pleasant and joyful activity; with these assignments they are not afraid of task and they get to it without obvious displeasure. Child is motivated in drawing with what they love, is interested in or is troubled with. They try to express abstraction, thoughts and attitudes by drawing. It is clear from the above that children´s drawing is an appropriate entrance gateway into the inner world of children and also in observation of preschool children’s perceptions of number. If we want to take a deep look into the primary conceptions of numbers of children, the information created in the first phases of mental process and closely connected to his/her private world of numbers are very important. 2. Development of preschool children´s conceptions of number According to Hejný, Stehlíková (1999), when in

FAQs

Why are children’s drawings used to understand numerical perceptions?

Children often cannot express their thoughts precisely through speech because their vocabulary is still incomplete. Drawings allow them to communicate and reveal their conceptions, including early numerical ideas.

What is the main focus of the study?

The study concentrates on drawing as a communication means to obtain primary numerical conceptions and to observe how children perceive and construct number concepts.

How was the investigation conducted with children?

The activity was realized with children in kindergarten, and the researchers analyzed the drawings related to number 3. They then created a concept map based on those drawings.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rizky