Results of a study of three classes of preservice teachers at the University of Missouri-St. Louis that taught three different methods of teaching rational-number concepts demonstrate the superiority of an approach using manipulatives. Both teacher understanding and ability to teach to elementary school students in field experience programs were…

This compilation consists of 26 consecutive issues of the journal "Seedbed," published from February 1979 through July 1986. Each issue contains articles written by teachers for teachers. "Seedbed" is an outcome of the Teachers' Center Project at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. It is designed to be neither scholarly nor trivial. Each…

This book is the teacher's manual to a text designed to meet the particular needs of those children who have "accumulated discouragements" in learning mathematics. It is a manual of suggested teaching strategies and additional materials aimed at compensating for past student failures to understand mathematical concepts. This book, S, is…

Discusses a method of teaching the multiplication of integers to eighth-grade students that utilizes videotape recordings to represent positive and negative rates. Videotapes of students walking forward and backward in the play and rewind modes illustrate that the product of two negatives is positive. (MDH)

Presents an interview with Dr. Constance Kamii on mathematics education. Based on her beliefs about the constructivist approach to elementary arithmetic, she advocates: reformulating goals and objectives, reconceptualizing the teacher role, de-emphasizing competition, eliminating workbooks, and relying instead on a curriculum made up predominately…

Describes an activity that demonstrates a teaching-learning model in which students ask yes or no questions to determine an unknown number on a number line. Provides a sequence of five steps to carry out the activity and suggestions for extending and expanding the activity for different grade levels. (MDH)

This is volume 6 of the series of translations of books from the Soviet literature on research in the psychology of mathematics instruction and on teaching methods influenced by the research. This book contains both a theoretical examination of the connection between instruction and the development of children, and experimental data on a definite…

This issue of the newsletter focuses on the teaching of mathematics to mildly handicapped students. The feature article reviews the theory of generalization and its application to specific practices in teaching arithmetic. A set of six-step guidelines is offered for the teacher to follow in ensuring that generalization of arithmetic skills takes…

Guidelines that were prepared for use in curriculum development efforts by schools and districts throughout the state of Washington are presented in this document. The philosophy of mathematics education reflected in these guidelines is presented, as are a discussion of areas to be addressed if needed improvements in the K-8 mathematics program…

This paper is designed to provide teachers with more guidance on how to help students become proficient in the recall of basic number facts. Activities and practices are placed in a sequence designed to aid all instructors. The learning of number facts is divided into three stages: (1) the development of basic number facts; (2) establishing number…

IN THIS STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF STRUCTURE AND SEQUENCE ON ADULT LEARNING, 96 ADULTS UNFAMILIAR WITH NUMBER BASES AND RANGING IN AGE FROM 23 TO 53 WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO FOUR DIFFERENTIALLY STRUCTURED INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS (HISTORY OF MEASUREMENT, BASE TEN, BASE SEVEN, OR PRINCIPLES OF NUMBER BASES) AND TO THREE DIFFERENTIALLY SEQUENCED…

Reports on a seminar conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology which was designed to help teachers develop their understanding of learning and teaching arithmetic. Describes some of the sessions and the activities and includes some of the dialogue exchanged within the group during the sessions. (TW)

This article describes Widgets, computer-based learning tools designed to meet the instructional need for computer-based flexible tools that can be used across ability levels. It discusses development of three Widgets for students with mild disabilities: a multiplication with sets Widget, a number sense Widget, and a dollars and cents Widget.…

Presents two spreadsheets for middle school students applying Polya's heuristic to help develop number sense, reasoning abilities, and problem-solving skills. Spreadsheet 1, "the coin problem," allows students to vary coin quantities to total $8.32. Spreadsheet 2, "ratios," develops number relationships while finding 3 3-digit…

Presents a case study of a first-grade class and their teacher who were observed as they ascribed mathematical meanings of numbers and of numerical operations to empirical phenomena. Differences in ascriptions led to negotiation of meanings. Discusses some indirect relations between social interaction and mathematics learning. (Contains 60…