Teaching Topological Relationships to children in the Early Years

This dissertation on ’Teaching topological relationships to children in the early years of primary school’ focuses on the difficulties children have in the learning process, especially in forming concepts involving laterality, cardinal directions and other guiding principles. It is justified by the fact that many children have difficulties understanding topological relationships and relating lateral directions to cardinal directions (right/east, left/west, front/north and back/south). Also because of the difficulty of teaching geography in early childhood education and, consequently, the lack of importance given to geographical content. The text addresses the Activity Theory proposed by Leontiev, because it supports the foundations of the relationship between those who teach and those who learn. It explains the process of constructing concepts and understanding certain activities carried out in the school environment. Another basis is Vygotsky because he emphasises action and learning as a process that takes place from the outside in and is full of historicity.