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Voice Practice: Social and Mathematical Talk in Imaginative Play

Modelled on similar work within the domain of literacy this paper comments on some outcomes of a case study of a naturalistic experiment involving an intervention strategy within the context of imaginative play. The intervention involved enriching the play provision with artefacts emphasising number symbols. This paper considers aspects of talk which may have significance for early mathematical understanding in classroom settings. Talk samples were selected for specific consideration from two data sets by using criteria based upon narrative dimensions. Connected sequences of talk and action were identified and held to be analogous to play frames: these were identified using techniques exploiting coherence and cohesion. Within this report two elements of children's developing competence with discourse structure and the use of modal forms are highlighted for further consideration as being of relevance to young children's development of ‘mathematical voice’. Data analysis revealed children's competence with the discursive forms of narrative and conversation and the ways in which their use of these structures provides coherence within the stream of imaginative play. Even when engaged with adults in learning exchanges classroom discourse structures were not used. The addition of thematically focused play materials was associated with a general increase in talk and activity involving the materials. Within this analysis of talk there is evidence to suggest that more mature forms of modal usage were not being used.