Young Children`s Ability to Use Spatial Coordinates and to Represent Spatial Locations
Ji Hyun Kim , Jeong Wuk Lee
Abstract
The purposes of this study were to investigate whether there were differences in the young children`s abilities to use spatial coordinates and to represent spatial locations by children`s age and sex, and to examine the relationship between these two abilities. It also explored whether the young children could use coordinates as the frames of reference for representing spatial locations. Seventy 5- and 6-year-old children from two kindergartens in Seoul and in Bucheon participated in this study. Results indicated that there were statistically significant differences between age groups on the children`s ability to use spatial coordinates and to represent spatial locations. However, there were no significant differences between boys and girls on these two abilities. A positive correlation was found between theses two abilities of using spatial coordinates and representing spatial locations. Most of the young children used landmarks as the frames of reference to represent spatial locations while some of the children were partially able to use spatial coordinates. Twenty percent of 6-year-old children were fully able to use spatial coordinates as the frames of reference to represent spatial locations.
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