Young children's understandings of length measurement

Recent reform movements in mathematics education have emphasized the need to improve mathematics education. Research on hypothetical learning trajectories has the potential to successfully connect the process of teaching and learning through emphasizing instruction based on the developmental progressions children follow in the learning of various mathematical concepts. This study proposes a developmental progression the majority of young children follow as their thinking advances in the domain of length measurement. It provides descriptions of the developmental levels, including the mathematical tasks and the mental actions on objects that define each level. The detailed descriptions are especially useful for curriculum developers and policy makers in the development of research based curricula and standards for mathematics education. The information in this book can also guide teachers in choosing appropriate length measurement activities that help children move along the progression, and the described mathematical tasks that represent each level of thinking provide practical ideas for use in the classroom.