Comparative Study On The Development Of Children’s Classification Ability Between Urban And Rural

Classification is the process of gathering something together according to the same characteristics. Classification is the expression of children’s feeling and understanding about congener of set element. It is the base of children’s concept on mathematical and using the correct way to count number. Classification of activities involved in thinking, analysis, comparison, observation, judgment, etc. The basic process can also have a beneficial effect on improving children’s logical thinking ability. As a basic ability to understand the world, from1960s, classification has been an important issue for the area of child development research. However, these studies are mostly concerned about the development process of the child classification ability, rarely involves the classification ability differences between different groups of young children, comparative study on the classification of development of urban and rural children are even scarcer.Based on referring lots of materials, the research has tested192children’s classifying ability from4kindergartens. By descriptive statistics, we have reviewed the development of classifying ability of geometric figure, real objects pictures and class contains task among children3-6years old. And using the method of analysis of variance to examine the characteristics of the age of3to6-year-old children in the above three aspects, urban-rural differences. On the foundation of using questionnaire to investigate parents and teachers of these children, we analysis and discussion the impact factor of different classification ability between urban and rural children.Result:3-6year-old children have already possessed the ability of classification in some degree, which enhances as they are growing.3-6year-old children show obvious age differences in classification of geometric figure, real objects pictures(reasons included) and task reason of class inclusion. But there is no age difference in classifying expression of class inclusion. No gender difference has been found in all the classification items (reasons included) in3～6year-old children. Obvious differences between urban and rural areas exist in geometric figure classification. In the subtask of colors, shapes and sizes classification, the average level of children from urban area is higher than that of children from rural areas.3～6year-old children show obvious urban and rural differences in classification of real objects pictures (reasons included). In all the sub items, city children’s points are higher than that of rural children,. Though two groups’points are very low compared with the total points, the extremely obvious urban and rural differences have been found in the points of class inclusion task. However, city children’s points are much higher than that of children form rural area when compared. The analysis proves that the main reasons leading to differences in classification development between urban and rural areas are children’s own experience in classification, kindergarten education and differences in family education. Therefore, we should improve children’s classification ability from the aspects mentioned above and narrow down the education gap between urban and rural areas macroscopically.