ELICITING THE DISCERNMENT OF VARIABLES IN YOUNG CHILDREN THROUGH BETTA-THE-BEE GAME

Grounding on Variation Theory, this study examines how four-year-old children identify and manage critical aspects of visual stimuli during gameplay in a kindergarten setting, and how teacher scaffolding supports this process. Data were drawn from the implementation of the Betta-the-Bee card game, a mathematically rich game designed to engage children with the discernment of numeric and spatial variables depicted on the game cards. Findings from a case-study analysis indicate that structured, variation-rich games can effectively foster dynamic discernment processes, with teacher guidance playing a crucial role in supporting these emerging skills.