Developing an understanding of repeating patterning

Patterning knowledge encompasses the ability to notice and use predictable sequences, and identifying, extending, and describing patterns in objects and numbers are core to mathematical thinking. Identifying the pattern rule (e.g., the unit of repeat) is often considered an indicator of patterning understanding. The goal of the current paper is to consider potential operationalizations of repeating patterning understanding, as well as expand the toolkit for measuring repeating patterning understanding. The Early Patterning Assessment (EPA) is a research instrument that can be given online or in person, using mostly selected-response items. Across four rounds of data collection in the U.S. (n = 244) and one study in Türkiye (formerly known as Turkey) (n = 107), the repeating patterning measure was a reliable measure for 4-7-year-old children, with scores increasing with age. It was also easier and faster to administer than past assessments that used constructed response items. IRT Rasch models were used to assess construct validity and identify the difficulty level of different types of items, within a Construct Modeling Approach (Wilson, 2023). Complete the pattern was the easiest task, and explicitly identifying the unit of repeat was the most difficult task. We considered three potential indicators of repeating patterning understanding and suggest operationalizing children’s understanding of repeating patterns as demonstrating spontaneous use of correct procedures across multiple tasks and pattern units.