Early Years Mathematics: Semiotic and Cultural Mediation

This chapter presents the main ideas of the plenary speech given in the Conference. My research trajectory was very long, as my collaboration with the pedagogical coordination of the preschool in Modena started in the 1980s. In 2013, the preschool action research program for teacher development in mathematics was extended to include also toddler center educators. The ZEROSIX program was launched to cover early years mathematics education from birth. Several dozens of preschool teachers and toddler center educators and some pedagogical coordinators joined the author to start a tricky adventure with some research questions: what is mathematics for very young children? Is it possible to foresee a true continuity (with discontinuities) between toddler centers and preschools? What can be the elements of this continuity?