Role of argumentation in the curriculums in Early Childhood Mathematics Education

Abstract

Considering the relevance of argumentation in mathematics to promote critical thinking and democratic societies, a description and comparison between the main international curricular proposals on argumentation and its development in the mathematics of the first years is presented. This comparison is made considering the argumentation from an integrative approach that contemplates contextual and functional aspects. Thus, this analysis formulates around four components: 1) the relationship between argumentation and learning; 2) the relationship between argumentation and other competences or skills; 3) function of argumentation (why is it argued?); and 4) character of the argument (how is it argued?). The main result of this comparison shows the importance of argumentation in international proposals and its strong relationship with demonstration and proof.