Mathematical Development

The mathematics programme in Preschool focuses on mathematics in every day life. Through the use of manipulative materials, the skills and concepts associated with sorting, classifying, patterning, graphing, recognizing shapes, measuring, estimating, calculating and simple problem solving are taught. Students have opportunities to recognise and apply whole numbers from 0 to 100, and identify simple fractions. Informal methods of addition and subtraction on whole numbers are explored. The level at which children engage in these skills activities are predominantly determined by their individual developmental level and abilities. Patterns arising from daily experiences in the classroom are identified, created, and compared. The characteristics of 3-D objects and 2-D shapes are described and the relationships are analyzed amongst them. Whole numbers and nonstandard units are used in the measurement of length, time, capacity/volume, area, and weight. Data is collected and organized on simple graphs. Concepts of chance and chance events are described using ordinary vocabulary.