The basic notions of combinatorics, including systematic listing and permutations, are important topics of mathematics that are recommended to be learned eventually from elementary schools. However, there is little research in mathematics education regarding elementary students' combinatorial strategies. The purpose of this research is to…

The lesson described in this article was developed and taught by a team of mathematics educators and physical therapists, with the shared goal of broadening students' perception of how mathematics concepts are applied in the real world. This lesson gives students authentic experience with the Gait Speed Test as a physical therapist would…

The revised Australian curriculum presents a new emphasis in primary schools on the process of Mathematical Modelling. A modelling focus brings close attention to confidence and capability with a potentially new problem-solving process, associated language, and pedagogical processes. This paper presents a Year 4 classroom modelling experience that…

Mathematical thinking is a complex, multi-faceted process that has been described as messy and difficult but can also show growth and insights into conceptual understanding and knowing. This paper explores the application of Edward de Bono's practical thinking, in particular, the occurrence of porridge words to examine the mathematical thinking of…

The authors describe a lesson--"You Decide"--which challenges students but also provides opportunities for success for those who may struggle. They show how this lesson has been helpful for teachers in revealing some misconceptions that often exist in primary students' thinking. In this article, they share data on the apparent relative…

As early as first grade, some children are more likely than others to perform arithmetic using inefficient or other overt counting strategies. To partially address this problem, the primary investigator developed a skill hierarchy with procedures based on applied behavior analysis. The novel early-intervention program included a combination of…

This article focuses on students' meaning-making when working with mathematics textbooks from a multimodal approach that encompasses all resources for communication, which is an under researched area. Central to this study are the designed meanings of the textbooks and the affordances discovered by students when working with the textbooks. Video…

Number fact knowledge spans far beyond conventional automatic mastery practices involving rote learning. Having the ability to automatically recall number facts fluently does not mean students will have strong conceptual understanding. This article provides suggestions for how number fact thinking and fluency might be developed in primary…

In this new era, computational thinking is becoming increasingly intriguing for indepth study. The 2022 PISA framework illustrates that computational thinking can play a significant role in solving real-world mathematical problems, both in formulating problems and in mathematical reasoning processes. Many countries have integrated computational…

The National Association for Gifted Children and The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics both call for problem posing. This article illustrates the strategies used during a series of three Three-Act Tasks to foster second grade students' abilities to problem pose. The students' problem posing improved across the three Three-Act Tasks and…

For years, educators have been using "foldables" as a visual and/or kinesthetic approach to note taking within elementary school classrooms. The purpose of the study is to determine to what extent these foldables have on students' self-efficacy of grade level math concepts. We previously found that there were learning gaps in students'…

Learning with understanding is essential to enabling students to solve problems that they will inevitably face in the future. Students will be more successful, if they are engaged in thought-provoking activities that encourage them to grow in their mathematical understanding and identity. With this study we intended to understand how the…

Area models are an important strategy for representing and solving multiplication problems under the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (NGA Center and CCSSO 2010). The hands-on task presented in this article, featuring differentiation and open-ended learning, sets up students to discover area models for themselves. Organized around…

This exploratory study determined the relationship between math instructional activities in Wave (year) 1 and English language learner (ELL) children's math problem-solving performance in Wave (year) 2. The math performance of ELL children (N = 291) in Grades 1, 2, and 3 was tested in two testing waves. Two major findings emerged. First, strategy…

Stories live within us and shape our identities. What opportunities do students have to share their stories during the learning of mathematics? How can storytelling enhance the development of mathematical identities? In this article, the author shares reasons for and examples of ways that storytelling in mathematics can support the development of…