This paper examines the existence and impact of theoretical mathematical foundations on the teaching and learning of whole numbers in elementary school in France. It shows that the study of the New Math reform--which was eventually itself replaced in the longer term--provides some keys to understanding the influence of mathematical theories on…

Investigates the conditions and constraints of the integration of the dynamic geometry software Cabri into the teaching of geometry in primary school classes (10-year-old pupils). Focuses on the way the dialectic between old and new is working during this integration, looking at the types of tasks and techniques proposed in class by teachers.…

Trainee teachers, new and non-specialist teachers of elementary mathematics have a tendency to avoid thought about reasons in mathematics. Instead, they tend to favour the development of computational skill through the rote application of procedures, routines and algorithms. Could elementary mathematics textbooks serve as models of practice and…

Explores written calculation methods for division used by pupils in England (n=276) and the Netherlands (n=259). Analyses informal strategies and identifies progression towards more structured procedures that result from different teaching approaches. Comparison of methods used shows greater success in the Dutch approach which is based on…

Examines teachers' inner reflections and exterior manifestations as they participated in a mathematics-reform effort. Describes the analysis of three elementary mathematics teachers as they struggled with issues of reform and traditional teaching in relation to personal values and beliefs. Concludes that teachers devised personal, complex, and…

Focuses on mathematics anxiety in 9- to 11-year-old children. Compares the mathematics anxiety of pupils taught in a traditional manner with that of pupils whose teachers adopted an alternative teaching approach that emphasizes problem solving and discussion of the pupil's own informal strategies. Concludes that pupils exposed to the traditional…

Changes in mathematics education from the 1950s to the 1980s are briefly described by the author, who was a leading mathematics educator in Hungary. Illustrations focus on personal experience and small group interaction. (MNS)

This study involved 48 students ages 9 to 12. The 29 experimental group students, divided into small groups, performed learning exercises designed to improve skills in analyzing and processing expressions frequently included in addition and multiplication problems. The exercises helped significantly to improve problem-solving performance. (MNS)

Work by Dutch and Belgian researchers on arithmetic problems involving addition and subtraction is reviewed, especially word problems. It is an attempt to synthesize the research on the relationship between instruction in the part-whole line diagram and the solution of problems. Both logical and psychological interpretations are discussed. (MNS)

Reports on a study that investigated prospective elementary teachers' knowledge and convictions regarding content, pedagogy, and pupil needs as well as their rationales for mathematics teaching. Discusses results by way of confronting the school as a locus for serious learning, and perceiving the school as a playhouse. Contains 44 references.…

An analysis of methods of teaching children to solve verbal arithmetic problems is presented together with transcriptions of interviews in which children solve problems by reference to problem types. (SD)

A process of teaching fractions is detailed that respects pupil ideas and concept images and builds on these in a way that helps children to develop personal algorithms. This approach is an attempt to get away from perceived one-sided views found in most textbooks. (MP)

Discusses two studies conducted using an interactive, multimedia-based instructional system in a mathematics methods class for preservice elementary school teachers. Interview data indicate that students were more likely to incorporate into their teaching repertoire knowledge they acquired from the system than from conventional methods. (Contains…

Two teaching studies were conducted, based on a descriptive framework and diagnostic interviews described previously. In the pilot study, low-achieving students were taught individually; in the main study, they were taught in a group. Performance improved in both cases. (MNS)

An alternative explanation is presented for the pattern of relative difficulty of arithmetical word problems to that suggested in a 1983 article. It is argued, that for many problems, much of the symbolic manipulation is accomplished externally, not internally. (MNS)