Fractions

Owens (1980) examined the relationship between a pupil’s concept of area and their ability to learn fraction concepts finding a positive connection and he found a positive relationship between success on area tasks and success in fractions tasks based on geometric regions. The teaching for transfer from area tasks aids a pupil’s ability to learn fraction concepts. In contrast the findings from a study by Novillis-Larson (1980, p. 423) demonstrated that pupils working “with tasks involving the location of fractions on number lines” gained an imprecise and inflexible notion of fraction.

It is well documented in the research literature that fractions are among the most complex mathematical abstract concepts (Gabriel et al., 2013) that children encounter and equally as important it is widely acknowledged that fractions are difficult to teach. It has also been claimed that learning fractions is probably one of the most serious obstacles to the mathematical maturation of children and that many of the ‘trouble spots’ in early school mathematics are related to rational-number ideas.

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There is a lot of duplication in research in fractions but there are gaps.1) Carpenter’s research on children’s intuitive sense of division in the context of fractions has not yet been tested and integrated into practice in the UK. 

2) Fractions are highly visual, how to we get children to move from visual representation to working and thinking symbolically 

Good maths teaching research is very clear about effective approaches which we expect to apply across contexts.  Pedagogical approaches used to  achieve the world leading outcomes in the far East are clear. Feedback on international applicability of the advice is welcome.

5 (highest). The evidence for the work above is strong and can be tracked to research published in  peer reviewed journals.

In development.

Nunes: Fractions are difficult but crucial in mathematics learning

For visual representations to support learning see NCTEM videos; NCTEM YouTube channels