This study experimentally explored the effectiveness of a designed teaching model for promoting young children’s pattern reasoning. The model of teaching sequences included exploring patterns, identifying the unit of repeated patterns, labeling the unit of repeated patterns, extending pattern units, predicting pattern units, and proving the patterns. Two groups were involved in the pattern-reasoning experiment: an experimental group, which adapted the pattern-teaching model, and the control group, which used the original teaching methods. Sixty subjects with a mean age of 6 years were recruited from two classes of a private kindergarten. They were subject to pattern-task testing before and after teaching. Observations for data collection involved taking pictures, recording videos, and interviewing participants after teaching. The experimental group outperformed the control group in the pattern-reasoning task. Evidently, implementing pattern instruction was effective for promoting pattern reasoning among young children. Additionally, during pattern instruction, the teacher taught using storytelling and games and then provided hands-on materials to strengthen pattern cognition. During the pattern-teaching process, the teacher deconstructed a complex pattern concept into a simple pattern, prompted recognition of the core unit of the pattern, and extended the pattern that facilitated children’s competence in reasoning.
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Exploratory Study of Instruction of Repeating Patterns for Young Children
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