Developing young children's classification and logical thinking skills

Childhood Education, Fall 1995 by Micklo, Stephen J

Classification is a basic process that children can use to develop logical and mathematical reasoning abilities (Copeland, 1974; Kennedy & Tipps, 1991; Van de Walle, 1990). Piaget contends that all knowledge, including the ability to reason logically, is constructed by the learner as he acts on his environment and tries to make sense of his world (Inhelder & Piaget, 1969). Learners do not view objects as they are known "out there." Instead, they assimilate the object into previous knowledge that they bring to each situation (Kamii & DeVries, 1978). Children learn classification and other mathematical structures the same way that they learn about the rest of the world -- by manipulating actual objects and constructing new knowledge after reflecting on their physical and mental actions (Clements & Battista, 1990; Dienes, 1968; Kamii & Lewis, 1990).

As very young children (infants to age 2) explore their environment, they learn to make different responses to different objects, eventually learning to recognize these objects. Although this process is not yet classification, it is essential to its development. Older children, by contrast, will continue to explore objects and group new objects in relation to previously discovered ones. They begin to use class names, although they really do not know exactly which objects belong to a given class and which do not (Inhelder & Piaget, 1969). A preschool child may use the class name "fruit" if he does not know the specific name, even though he does not realize that an apple (a name he does know) is also a fruit (Hohmann, Banet & Weikert, 1979).

Sorting activities provide children with some of their first classification experiences. Children initially classify by sorting groups of completely different objects into what Piaget refers to as "graphic collections," using logic that only the child can understand. If given a collection of shapes to classify, the child may put a circle, a triangle and a square together to make a figure of a person, or put a triangle on top of a square to make a house or even put one object with another "just because" (Inhelder & Piaget, 1969).

As children develop, they move away from constructing graphic collections and begin to sort objects using a consistent criteria. While most young children are able to differentiate the attributes of objects, they need opportunities to learn how to use this capability. The more experiences that they have, the stronger the base from which they can continue to develop. Hohmann, Banet and Weikert (1979) describe "key experiences" that allow young children's classification skills to develop.

Key Experiences

1. Describing the attributes of things

2. Describing how things are the same and different

3. Describing the characteristics that something does not possess

4. Holding more than one attribute in mind at a time

5. Distinguishing between "some" and "all."

Once children develop a command of language, they can usually name and classify objects. It is important for adults to help children describe what they are doing so that they can construct the knowledge and recall the process when they need it. The more ways children can describe an object, the more mindful they become of possible ways to use it. Gradually, they realize that many objects possess more than one attribute and, therefore, can belong to more than one class.

Attribute materials are objects that can be sorted in different ways. Structured attribute materials have one piece for each possible combination of attributes. Commercial sets of attribute blocks usually have four attributes: shape, color, size and thickness (see Figure 1). A set will include only one large, thin, blue circle, as well as one each of all the other combinations. Since the number and type of the attributes is not an important issue, teacher-made sets can also be effective.

Activities Using Attribute Materials

Initially, children should be allowed a considerable amount of free play with the attribute materials. Such free play allows the children to explore the various attributes and begin to establish relationships among them. Each piece has four names that identify each attribute (e.g., a small, thin, red square) and the children should be encouraged to learn all the names of each piece. This process helps children describe the attributes of objects and recognize how things are the same and different (Key Experiences 1 and 2).

Alike and Different. Each child selects an attribute piece. The teacher, or a student, holds up one piece and asks "Who has one like this one? How is it alike?" (e.g., both are circles or both are red). Follow-up questions can be "Who has one that is different from this one? How is it different?" (e.g., one is a circle and one is a square, or one is large and one is small). This activity also helps children describe objects and identify their similarities and differences (Key Experiences 1 and 2).

Difference Trains. This activity encourages children to be more conscious of similarities and differences (Key Experiences 1 and 2) and requires them to hold more than one attribute in mind at a time (Key Experience 4). A piece (e.g., a large, thin, red circle) is drawn from a set of materials and is placed in the center of a small group. The next child finds a piece that is different in one, and only one, way. The difference could be of color, size, shape or thickness and the child must state the difference (e.g., "color"). The rest of the group then takes turns finding a piece that differs from the previously played piece in just one way, and stating that difference. The other players monitor each move so that incorrect pieces are not used. As play progresses, a "one-difference train" develops. The game continues until all the pieces are played or until no more pieces fit the "one difference" rule (see Figure 2).(Fig. 2 omitted)