Last updated: 29 Apr 2009

Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) involves young children learning about

• Numbers as labels and for counting
• Calculating
• Shape, space and measures.

Mathematical understanding should be developed through stories, songs, games and imaginative play so that children enjoy using and experimenting with numbers.

When working with newly arrived children and their parents some of the following issues may need to be considered.

Partnership with the home

The EYFS curriculum builds on children's experiences of learning at home. Young children learn in their homes as well as their early years settings and parents are partners in that learning. However, many parents, not just new arrivals, do not know how they can contribute to their child's mathematical development.

A number of nurseries and LAs have run meetings or courses to explain how parents can support their child's mathematical development. Some of these events have been targeted at specific communities and employ interpreters. The courses have familiarised parents with how number songs, games and everyday activities in the home can promote children's mathematical development.

Supporting home-language development

It is expected, in the EYFS, that children will develop mathematical knowledge and skills in their home language as well as in English. The EYFS curriculum guidance encourages early years settings to provide children with opportunities to use their home language - including activities that are based around number, calculating, shape, space and measures. In giving these opportunities, a child's developing use of English and their home language support each other as well as the mathematics.

Bilingual tapes and posters and other resources

Early years settings can purchase bilingual audio and visual resources that use English and the child's home language. To support mathematical development these resources might include bilingual posters with numbers up to 20, and stories that involve the use of numbers and songs.

Parents, bilingual early years practitioners and volunteers can also help make such resources, for example making posters and recording songs that use numbers. Pupils in a London secondary school made bilingual posters in Tigrinya, Amharic and Somali as part of a citizenship project. These were later used in primary schools and early years settings in the locality.

Specific mathematical register in English

Young children with English as an additional language may learn to count in English and acquire mathematical terminology quickly. The EYFS curriculum guidance suggests that teachers model the mathematical language for all children; this is of extra importance for children who are learning English as an additional language.

Word-based problems

EYFS problem solving is much more orally based than with older children who can read and write numbers. It requires fluency and understanding of English. Many newly arrived children may find these language-based problems difficult.

The mathematics is developed through practical activity and the mathematical ideas are refined using language. The teacher should model with the practical materials as well as the appropriate mathematical language to ensure the child develops their mathematical thinking. This will mean demonstrating what the problem is by using the materials the children will use, using pictures and so on.

Number forms in different scripts

The form of western numerals differs from those used in many Arabic-speaking Middle Eastern countries and in the Indian subcontinent. Children may not be familiar with both number forms. When young children are aware of how numbers are recorded they might mistake a symbol or numeral in western script with a similar symbol that represents a different value in the script they have seen at home or on the posters suggested above. A teacher/practitioner could assume a child is miscounting when they are recording a symbol that looks like a 6 when they are recording 8, for example.