PL
Problem solving tasks as a chance for teachers to diagnose the quality of mathematical thinking in very young learners Students’ mathematical knowledge is constantly being verified at school. However checking what students know usually means assessing the extent of the mathematical knowledge acquired, determined by the lesson’s subject. The teacher is far less interested in a qualitative analysis of the students’ reasoning. One indicator helpful in diagnosing this particular reasoning is the mathematical problem. Solving such problems individually activates students’ personal strategies, and analysing ways of dealing with a new problem reveals the meanings given by the students to mathematical concepts. It helps recognition on the level of children’s mathematical representations as well as students’ strategies.