Studying children's motives in mathematical problem-solving during transition from kindergarten to school: A Conceptual PlayWorld approach

Developing children's mathematical problem-solving is important to promote children's deep understanding of mathematical concepts and future academic success. Acknowledging that play-based approaches can support mathematical learning, limited research explores how imaginative play creates conditions for children's mathematical problem-solving in the kindergarten period during the transition to school. To support children's mathematical problem-solving in this period, this study drew upon the cultural-historical concept of play and motives and adapted Li and Disney's (2021) Conceptual PlayWorld in mathematics (CPW) by conducting an educational experiment. This research investigated how CPW created motivating conditions in supporting children's learning motive in mathematical problem-solving in the kindergarten period during the transition to school. Video observations of teacher-child interactions during the CPW on the mathematical concepts of informal measurement of area and partial units were analysed. This study followed the focus child William's intentions and motives, revealing that CPW created motivating conditions for a dialectical transformation between play motives and mathematical learning motives. We argued that the collective and emotionally charged CPW encouraged children's continuous exploration of the dramatised mathematics problem, thus developing mathematical learning motives. The development of mathematical learning motive also contributed to play motive to engage with the play narrative. This study enriched the empirical evidence of the CPW approach, supporting kindergarten children's mathematical problem-solving in the kindergarten period during the transition to school.