Take a Bite out of Fraction Division

Autor/inn/en	Cengiz, Nesrin; Rathouz, Margaret
Titel	Take a Bite out of Fraction Division
Quelle	In: Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 17 (2011) 3, S.146-153 (8 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1072-0839
Schlagwörter	Preservice Teachers; Teaching Methods; Secondary School Mathematics; Middle Schools; Mathematics Skills; Vignettes; Arithmetic; Mathematics Instruction; Knowledge Base for Teaching; Mathematical Concepts + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Middle school; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Mathmatics achievement; Mathematics ability; Mathematische Kompetenz; Addition; Arithmetik; Arithmetikunterricht; Rechnen; Mathematics lessons; Mathematikunterricht; Teaching theory; Theory of teaching; Unterrichtstheorie
Abstract	Division of fractions is often considered the most mechanical and least understood topic in elementary school. Enacting fraction division tasks in meaningful ways requires that teachers know not only "how" fraction division works but also "why" it works. The authors have created materials to help preservice teachers develop that knowledge. To provide sufficient time for the learners to engage and struggle with cognitively demanding tasks, just one or two complex problems are explored during one-hundred-minute periods. Various instructional strategies are used to elicit multiple solution methods and representations and to press for justifications of solutions, modeling the type of instruction these teachers could use with their future students. This article presents a sequence of tasks that is designed to promote an understanding of fraction division, and brief vignettes explore their implementation. In particular, following a discussion of prerequisite experiences in whole-number division, two types of fraction division activities are addressed: (1) those helping build the concept of the unit; and (2) those helping connect representations. Although these tasks were implemented with preservice teachers, examining these tasks may help in-service teachers deepen their own understanding of fraction division. Further, the activities provide seeds for mathematical tasks that teachers might enact with middle school learners. (Contains 6 figures.) (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1502. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-3702; Fax: 703-476-2970; e-mail: orders@nctm.org; Web site: http://www.nctm.org/publications/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10