Teaching and Learning Fractions
1 day
Duration
6 credits
Earned
Course Objectives
This professional development course for teachers is aimed at delivering the following outcomes:
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of how to teach and learn fractions.
- Encourage a change in educators' perspectives on teaching and learning fractions.
- Offer practical advice for lesson planning and enhancing lessons on fractions.
- Raise educators to a high level of expertise in the subject of fractions.
Upon completing this course, educators will possess a thorough knowledge of teaching and learning fractions within primary education settings. By actively participating in real classroom scenarios—effectively stepping into their students' shoes—teachers will develop a genuine empathy for the learning process.
This course looks to equip teachers with the necessary content and the pedagogical content knowledge to teach fractions so that pupils gain a conceptual understanding of fractions, become fluent in working with fractions, and can use what they know in a multitude of familiar and unfamiliar problems.
Course Content
- Different Usage of Numbers and Semantics: Teach pupils to understand fractions both as parts of a whole and parts of a set, using clear examples and visual aids. For instance, contrast "one-half of 8 apples" with "8 one-half apples" through pictorial representations to demonstrate the different applications of fractions.
- Concepts Necessary to Understand Fractions: Emphasise the teaching of foundational concepts such as equality, equivalence, and the diverse contexts in which numbers are used (cardinal, nominal, measures, ordinal). Use real-life examples and manipulatives to illustrate these concepts, making them more accessible and relatable to students.
- Conventions: Address common misconceptions about fractions, focussing on the roles of the numerator and denominator. Use interactive activities and guided explorations to correct these misconceptions and reinforce the correct conventions.
- Spiral Curriculum: Introduce complex fraction concepts in small, incremental steps over a long period, revisiting and expanding on these ideas at higher levels of understanding through subsequent years. Provide examples of how these concepts can be layered and expanded upon to ensure a deepening of knowledge.
- Differentiating Instruction: Differentiate fraction lessons to address the diverse needs of pupils, providing additional support for those struggling and extending challenges for more advanced learners. Offer examples of differentiated activities and strategies that cater to a range of learning styles and levels of comprehension.
- Assessment: Develop and implement effective assessment strategies to gauge pupils' understanding of fractions. Highlight tools and methods that offer insights into how well students comprehend and can apply fraction concepts.
- Operations: Teach operations with fractions (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), including dealing with decimal and mixed numbers, using methodologies that make these operations understandable and engaging for pupils.
- Problem Solving and Investigations: Engage pupils in problem-solving and investigative tasks involving fractions, using bar models and other visual representations. Provide examples of problems that encourage pupils to apply their knowledge of fractions in reasoning and analytical contexts.
Who this is course intended for?
This course is an excellent next step after the three-day The Essentials of Teaching Maths Mastery, therefore it is strongly recommended that participants attend that course before registering for this one.
Upcoming Dates
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How It Works
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