How to Teach Fractions | London, UK

Overview

This course is intended for primary school teachers who want to learn the essentials of teaching fractions.

Course Objective

This professional development course is designed to nurture:

1. A deep understanding of the teaching and learning of fractions
2. A practical understanding of lesson structure and learning experiences for teaching fractions across year groups
3. An expert level of fraction objectives and their progression

Educators will leave the course with a deep understanding of the teaching and learning of fractions for primary school. Working through real school lessons, where they become the students, teachers will gain experience on the best methods to engage children and teach fractions.

This course looks to equip teachers with the necessary content and the pedagogical knowledge to teach fractions so that pupils gain a conceptual understanding, become fluent in working with fractions and can use what they know in a multitude of familiar and unfamiliar scenarios.

Course Content

Different usage of numbers and semantics

• Fractions of one (whole) and fractions of a number (set)
• How to use logical approaches so students learn the different semantics of the four operations as they relate to fractions (half of eight apples versus eight half apples)
• Working through pictorial representations of various semantics

Concepts necessary to understand fractions

• Teaching and learning the necessary concepts to master an understanding of fractions, including equality and equivalence
• Understanding the different contexts in which numbers can be used (cardinal, nominal, measures and ordinal)

Conventions

• Explore the convention of fractions
• Look at how to deal with the misconceptions that students can develop

Spiral curriculum

• Understand the progression of fraction objectives across the primary curriculum
• Delve into how complex concepts can be taught by introducing fractions in incremental steps over a long period and by revisiting ideas over a number of years at higher and higher levels

Differentiating instruction

• Looking at how fractions lessons can be differentiated to meet the needs of all learners

Assessment

• Learn how to assess pupils to determine their understanding of fractions

Operations

• Examine the four operations (add, subtract, multiply and divide) for fractions, including decimals and mixed numbers

Problem solving and investigations

• Look at how to solve common fraction problems
• Learn how to use tools such as bar models for fraction-related problems