Using the graph when talking about functional relations in Grade 1 : The importance of terminology

This study investigates how the graph representation creates opportunities for young students to develop an understanding of functional relationships in pattern generalizations. The empirical data is from an educational teacher-focused classroom design research focusing on generalizations in arithmetical growing patterns in Grade 1. The results show that the students in Grade 1 are given an opportunity to reason mathematically in both recursive-and covariational thinking. The results also show how the teaching provided opportunities for the students to use multiple representations of functional thinking and how oral language is a common representation to describe relationships. However, using a well-thought-out terminology to exploit the potential of the graph representation when discussing functional relationships and generalizations appears to be important