Chinese Preschoolers’ Pattern Creation: Performance and Predictors

ABSTRACT

Research Findings: Pattern creation (PC) is creating a pattern unit based on children’s own understanding of the concept of pattern, without being provided with a pattern unit as a reference, and the repetition of this pattern unit to create a complete structure. This study explored the performance and predictors of pattern creation (PC) among Chinese preschoolers at five to six years of age. Altogether 48 children (Mage = 5.44 years, SD = 0.38, 56% girls) from one public kindergarten in Shanghai participated in two experiments designed to test individual PC abilities and cognitive and mathematical skills. The results indicated that: (1) 5 to 6-year-old Chinese preschoolers could create basic patterns of different types (single linear patterns, multiple linear patterns, and circular patterns) and different levels (one-dimensional Pattern, multi-dimensional Pattern, and no Pattern) with various self-designed patterning strategies (e.g., unit extraction, one-to-one appearance matching, counting elements with different colors and shapes, and self-talking); (2) visual working memory and series relations in reasoning ability were significantly related to children’s PC performance, among which the visual working memory served as a unique predictor of children’s overall PC competence. Practice or Policy: These findings provided empirical evidence and a profound understanding of young children’s PC competence and patterning strategies and highlighted the impact of visual working memory and series relations on PC in early learning.

Disclosure Statement

We have no known conflicts of interest to disclose.