This document includes instructional tips on: (1) Building on students' informal understanding of sharing and proportionality to develop initial fraction concepts; (2) Helping students recognize that fractions are numbers that expand the number system beyond whole numbers, and using number lines to teach this and other fraction concepts; (3)…

"Modeling Mathematical Ideas" combining current research and practical strategies to build teachers and students strategic competence in problem solving.This must-have book supports teachers in understanding learning progressions that addresses conceptual guiding posts as well as students' common misconceptions in investigating and…

In this important book for pre- and in-service teachers, early math experts Douglas Clements and Julie Sarama show how "learning trajectories" help diagnose a child's level of mathematical understanding and provide guidance for teaching. By focusing on the inherent delight and curiosity behind young children's mathematical reasoning,…

Students around the world have difficulties in learning about fractions. In many countries, the average student never gains a conceptual knowledge of fractions. This research guide provides suggestions for teachers and administrators looking to improve fraction instruction in their classrooms or schools. The recommendations are based on a…

This paper suggests that many adult learners lack the skill of reading and writing larger numbers. Two Ovid computer searches of the ERIC (Educational Resources and Information Center) database are used to provide the background research. Issues in and teaching methods of reading and writing larger numbers, particularly a language-symbol approach,…

Elementary number theory is a standard topic in the mathematical preparation of preservice elementary teachers. To understand elementary number theory, a student must be comfortable with the representation of natural numbers as the product of primes. This paper discusses methods for accomplishing this goal in a mathematics course. It also…

A strategy is presented for teaching arithmetic to students with mental retardation, based on subitizing, skill of recognizing number of objects in a set without actually counting, and pattern recognition. The strategy helps children understand concept of addition by representing number configurations on 5-frames and 10-frames, and reduces need…

Discusses mastery goals and developmental levels of students aged 3-7 for learning numbers in informal situations. (KHR)

The World's Largest Math Event 6 (WLME 6) is the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) celebration of mathematics and mathematics education and is the highlight of Mathematics Education Month. This year's event, slated for April 28, 2000, features the theme "Animals as Our Companions". This theme encourages students to…

Describes a program written in BASIC, called BIGNUM, that was designed to aid in handling big numbers. The program adds, subtracts, multiplies, divides, and raises to a power integers of up to 1024 decimal digits and is thought to be usable on many types of machines. (MP)

The purpose of the study was to help teachers understand the importance of using the Lattice Method in teaching multiplication with whole numbers and decimals to students with learning disabilities. The common errors made by learning disabled students in multiplication with whole numbers were analyzed. In the study, students with learning…

Describes five basic understandings involved in rational counting: (1) groupings of same or different items may be counted; (2) there is a stable order of the counting numbers; (3) one-to-one correspondence; (4) it does not matter which item is counted first; and (5) the cardinal principle. Discusses the importance of rational counting ability and…

"Chisanbop" is a Korean word which means finger calculation method. It is based on the Korean abacus, and its emphasis is on fives. By using Chisanbop techniques, one can add, subtract, multiply, and divide large numbers. Chisanbop can be taught most effectively to large groups in the second grade. (JN)

Discusses the Tiles and Sides problem from the December 2000 issue. Indicates that this problem is accessible to students at different grade levels. Presents samples of student responses and their teachers' analysis. (KHR)

This book provides dozens of carefully prepared letters for parents in English and Spanish that teachers can send home weekly. Each of the 40 letters focuses on direct and easy-to-implement mathematics activities that can be incorporated regularly into a family's daily routine without turning the home into a school away from school. The letters…