Teachers can help students with learning problems in solving arithmetic word problems by following the principles commonly used in the design of Direct Instruction curricula: teach rules and strategies rather than rote memorization; sequence examples and skills carefully; and introduce and review skills cumulatively. (CB)

The use of demonstration plus permanent model (DPM) as a teaching strategy was evaluated with 19 learning disabled students (ages 9-14) in the area of computational skills. Results indicated that DPM effectively helped students acquire computational skills across instructional sequences for addition, subtraction, and multiplication. (Author/DB)

Children's mental performance was studied in the context of arithmetic word problem solution. Response latency and error data indicated subtraction was more difficult than addition. Understanding children's problem solutions in terms of flexible strategy use and the fact that many errors have a systematic basis are important in studying children's…

Four important schools of thought which have addressed the problem of meaning in arithmetic are examined: connectionist, structural, operational, and constructivist. The author argues that the constructivist perspective is a potentially fruitful framework within which to recase the issues involved in the analysis of meaning in arithmetic. (MNS)

Describes activities designed as self-checking tasks involving practice with whole number operations. Materials consist of a set of boards partitioned into 36 squares; sets of 36 sentence/picture cards correspond with each board. A correct sentence or picture is then formed as students correctly perform the necessary mathematical operations. (JN)

Determined effects of two task types on 12- and 13-year-olds' understanding of applications of multiplying and dividing positive numbers. Results indicate the persuasive nature of certain misconceptions and specific effects of context attributable to such aspects as relative familiarity. Implications of these and other results are discussed.…

Presents three sample problems related to arithmetic and algebra, geometry, and calculus, indicating, in each case, similar problems that could be posed. Includes a discussion of positive benefits which result by asking students "Can you derive the result differently?" (JN)

A pair of abacuses is used to illustrate addition, subtraction (by adding complements), multiplication, and division, with simplified examples given to illustrate the various features of each operation. Also indicates how this information can help students understand computer operations. (JN)

The article discusses the arithmetic achievement deficits of learning disabled students, cites research on cognitive factors involved, reviews the neurological evidence, and describes orientations focusing on cognitive psychology and the instructional context. Recent findings of an arithmetic task force from Columbia University are summarized. (CL)

This book is designed to help teachers understand children's intuitive problem solving and computational processes and to figure out how to use that knowledge to enhance students' understanding of arithmetic. This book provides numerous examples of classroom dialogues that indicate how algebraic ideas emerge in children's thinking and what…

This chapter presents a yearlong teaching experiment involving a 4th grade class in a New Jersey school that focused on fractions. The 25 children worked in pairs or in small groups, then came together as a whole class for sharing in larger discussions. The development of children's thinking is explored through analyzing videotapes of class…

This book contains activities related to fractions and proportions. The activities span many grade levels as well as many levels of sophistication. Each activity is accompanied by a set of Teachers Notes that include a discussion of the mathematics topics, grade range, materials needed, mathematics of the activity, and implementation notes. All…

The study examines ethnically and linguistically diverse parents' learning in an eight-week Math for Parents course on fractions, decimals and percentages. Analysis of classroom observations, interviews, focus groups, written feedback, videotapes, and task-based/clinical interviews provided rich data yielding findings about both parents' affective…

Symbols occupy a pivotal position between processes to be carried out and concepts to be thought about. They allow us both to do mathematical problems and to think about mathematical relationships. In this presentation, the discontinuities that occur in the learning path taken by different students, leading to a divergence between conceptual and…

This book provides puzzles, games, and mathematical activities for students in elementary grades. Number concepts and arithmetic are common topics. These classic math, logic, and word-problem activities encourage students to become flexible, creative thinkers while teaching them to draw valid conclusions based on logic and evidence. Each activity…