Educational tools to introduce the concept of magnitudes in preschoolers: comparative effectiveness / <i>Herramientas educativas para introducir el concepto de magnitudes en preescolares: efectividad comparativa</i>

The current study was aimed at the investigation of various cultural means (model, symbolic and visual) of formation of basic mathematical concepts in senior preschoolers. The authors developed four options of a programme that would allow achieving this goal. These options are similar with respect to the concepts and tasks performed by children, but they differ in means (visual example in two options [with and without play characters], model and symbol). Approbation was performed on a sample of 60 six-to-seven-year-old preschoolers (average age 6.4) that attended kindergarten groups. It was revealed that development of numerical abilities was statistically significant in all participants of the four groups during developmental classes. Yet, it wasn’t related to the particular programme in use. This could mean that the key role in the conceptualization of magnitudes is played by the actions of children organized by the educator, and what children actually do. Meanwhile, the situations and educational tools that were used clearly play some other role, which is to be identified in further research.