Young children posing problems: The influence of teacher intervention on the type of problems children pose

This paper describes the type of problems young children (Grade 1 and Grade 3) generated in problem-posing situations as they worked, on a one-to-one basis, with a student teacher. In the initial stages of the investigation, the children posed oneand two-step problems that reflected the type of experiences the children encountered at school. With guidance, the children began to solve increasingly sophisticated problems that became more open ended and novel. The problemsolving situations provided opportunities for the children to pose problems they enjoyed solving and promoted both a more complex and motivating learning environment. The results indicate that the problem-posing actions of students can be nurtured by teachers' actions.