Manipulative-based instructional sequences have proven to be successful with students with disabilities. However, instruction must not only support the acquisition of conceptual and procedural knowledge but also build on students' strengths. This article describes how teachers can use manipulative-based instructional sequences to support the…

Fractions are an important concept used throughout advanced mathematical ideas and everyday life. Students need a solid understanding of fraction concepts, such as magnitude, equivalence, and operations. However, many students, including students with learning disabilities (LD) in mathematics, struggle with fractions. In this article, the use of…

A multidisciplinary origami activity that could be used in middle school mathematics and science lessons was designed and implemented. Mathematical purpose of the origami activity is to support students' conceptual understanding and procedural skills related to the concept of fraction. Regarding science, the activity aims to visualize Solar system…

Our research with Grade 9 learners at a school in Soweto was conducted to explore learners' understanding of fundamental fraction concepts used in applications required at that level of schooling. The study was based on the theory of constructivism in a bid to understand whether learners' transition from whole numbers to rational numbers enabled…

Fractions--their concepts, procedures, and symbolic notation--are well-known for the difficulty they present children, beginning in elementary school, and often, persisting long after. However, promoting children's development of flexible and robust conceptual knowledge in this content area is critical for their success both in and out of school.…

Rational number and fractions concepts are inherently difficult; and lack of mastery often holds students back from success in subsequent mathematics courses. This paper describes design characteristics of a software based, adaptive, rational number tutor with virtual manipulatives, realistic contexts, and procedural feedback. Then, the paper…

Transitioning from teaching whole number operations to teaching fraction operations can prove difficult, even for the seasoned mathematics teacher. However, with effective literacy practices, teachers can seamlessly shift their students to learning the rules for fractions. The implications can be a mastery of mathematical language used to describe…

Paper folding is an easy and inexpensive way to engage students artistically, culturally, and mathematically. The pinwheel base is the source for many origami playthings, from a pinwheel to a boat to a butterfly. This article explores a fourth grade activity that repurposes the pinwheel base into a rich and inexpensive manipulative for the review…

In mathematics, there is conceptual and procedural knowledge. Conceptual knowledge is about ideas or mathematics understanding but procedural knowledge is about procedure to solve mathematics problems. Multisensory approach involve many senses like kinaesthetic, visual and auditory to gain knowledge. This research aims to find information about…

Mr. Buxton is a perplexed elementary mathematics teacher. He co-teaches a second-grade classroom, with Ms. Snyder. In their classroom they have 25 students; five are identified as academically at risk, and three receive special education services. In the past Mr. Buxton successfully used an instructional approach consisting of (a) modeling, (b)…

This study examines the effects of early exposure of fraction instruction on K-3 students participating in a longitudinal fraction research study from 2007 to 2013. An explanatory multiple-case study research along with purposeful criterion sampling was used to gain insight into students' fractional understanding as they progress through the…

When solving mathematical problems, many students know the procedure to get to the answer but cannot explain why they are doing it in that way. According to Skemp (1976) these students have instrumental understanding but not relational understanding of the problem. They have accepted the rules to arriving at the answer without questioning or…

This guidance report focuses on the teaching of mathematics to pupils in Key Stages 2 and 3. It is not intended to provide a comprehensive guide to mathematics teaching. We have made recommendations where there are research findings that schools can use to make a significant difference to pupils' learning, and have focused on the questions that…

This paper reports an exploration into the use of a combination of semiotic resources when teaching the part-whole model of fractions. The study involved a single case study of one class teacher and six students in an Australian primary classroom. Using video as the predominate research tool it was possible to describe how gesture and language…

Discusses area models that can be used in grades three through nine, showing how the model generalizes from discrete situations involving the arithmetic of whole numbers to continuous situations involving decimals, fractions, percents, probability, algebra, and more advanced mathematics. (14 references) (MDH)