Development of angle concepts: A framework for research

36 Grade 4 children were interviewed to find how they interpreted the angles implicit in six realistic models. Angle recognition varied considerably across the six situations, as did children's tendency to recognise angular similarities between them. Based on these and other results, a framework for further research on the development of children's angle concepts is proposed. It is suggested that children first classify their everyday angle experiences into physical angle situations; they then group situations to form physical angle contexts; and then they gradually group contexts into abstract angle domains. Each classification step leads to the formation of a corresponding angle concept.