This study's purpose was to examine the effects of the concrete-representational-abstract integrated (CRA-I) sequence on the performance of students who struggled with rational number concepts. Three students in southeastern U.S. fifth grade class participated in the study. The CRA-I intervention was grounded in the principles of explicit…

In this article, I argue that the common practice across many school mathematics curricula of using a variety of different representations of number may diminish the coherence of mathematics for students. Instead, I advocate prioritising a single representation of number (the number line) and applying this repeatedly across diverse content areas.…

Learning the concept of fractions is among the most challenging topics in school mathematics. One of the main sources of difficulties in learning fractions is related to "natural number bias" (Van Hoof, Verschaffel & Van Dooren, 2015). Applying properties of the natural numbers incorrectly in situations involving rational numbers can…

One way to emphasize students' strengths when reasoning verbally is through number talks. During a number talk, a teacher facilitates a 5- to 15-minute conversation during which students have the opportunity to engage in mental mathematics and verbally explain and justify their reasoning regarding how they make sense of numerical computations.…

To explain children's difficulties learning fraction arithmetic, Braithwaite et al. (2017) proposed FARRA, a theory of fraction arithmetic implemented as a computational model. The present study tested predictions of the theory in a new domain, decimal arithmetic, and investigated children's use of conceptual knowledge in that domain. Sixth and…

In grade 3, students are expected to be able to represent a fraction on a number line by first identifying the interval from 0 to 1 as the unit and by partitioning the unit as needed on the basis of the denominator. This task extends these grade 3 fraction goals stated in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (NGA Center and CCSSO 2010)…

The number one plays a special role in mathematics because it is the identity element in multiplication and division. The present findings, however, indicate that many middle school students do not demonstrate mathematical flexibility representing one as a fraction. Despite possessing explicit knowledge of fraction forms of one (e.g., 95% of…

Competence in fractions is important in achieving advanced mathematics such as algebra and calculus. To foster students' understanding of fractions, intervention studies have found number lines to be an effective representational tool. Yet, it is unclear whether or not number lines are equally effective regardless of the ways in which they are…

This paper makes a proposal, from the perspective of a research mathematician interested in mathematics education, for broadening and deepening whole number arithmetic instruction, to make it more relevant for the twenty-first century, in particular, to enable students to deal with large numbers, arguably an essential skill for modern citizenship.…

Mathematical and didactic knowledge presented in mathematics textbooks and other resources, like mathematics comics (MCs), needs to be evaluated from a lens of appropriate theoretical framework in mathematics education before it can be used as a medium for teaching and learning mathematics. Therefore, this study investigates mathematical and…

National assessments suggest that many students do not display proficiency with fractions. Considering that time and materials are precious resources, many educators are looking to use technology to provide supplemental instruction with low demand on the instructor. The current study utilized a multiple-baseline design to examine the effects of…

The use of different registers to represent mathematical concepts enhances understanding. For example, rational numbers can assume pictorial, symbolic and natural language representations and this kind of change improves learning. Based on these assumptions, a teaching experiment for the learning of rational numbers by 2nd grade students was…

Many students face difficulties with fractions. Research in mathematics education and cognitive psychology aims at understanding where and why students struggle with fractions and how to make teaching of fractions more effective. Additionally, neuroscience research is beginning to explore how the human brain processes fractions. Yet, attempts to…

Many children and adults have difficulty gaining a comprehensive understanding of rational numbers. Although fractions are taught before decimals and percentages in many countries, including the USA, a number of researchers have argued that decimals are easier to learn than fractions and therefore teaching them first might mitigate children's…

In this chapter, I propose a stance on learning fractions as multiplicative relations through reorganizing knowledge of whole numbers as a viable alternative to the Natural Number Bias (NNB) stance. Such an alternative, rooted in the constructivist theory of knowing and learning, provides a way forward in thinking about and carrying out…