New Approaches to Teaching Fractions:
The government is funding new research on more effective ways to teach the often-dreaded subject
WSJ.com - National tests show nearly half of eighth-graders aren't able to put three fractions in order by size. Many students cruise along just fine in math until fourth grade or so. Then, they hit a wall—fractions.
The wall is about to get taller. With mastery of the topic seen as a crucial stepping stone to progressing in math, federal standards are stepping up emphasis on fractions starting in third grade. National tests show nearly half of eighth-graders aren't able to put three fractions in order by size.
The government is funding new research on more effective ways to teach the often-dreaded subject. The new methods preface early rote learning of complicated fraction rules with more work on building a conceptual understanding of fractions. And instead of traditional pie charts, they rely more on tools like number lines, paper models and games putting fractions in context.
Ryan Spence, a technology-integration specialist for Propel Schools, a charter-school operator based in Pittsburgh, says fourth-graders can learn the basics quickly by playing a computer game with number lines, Battleship Numberline offered by BrainPOP, a New York City firm that creates animated educational resources. Kids use a fraction clue to try to bomb a battleship hidden between 0 and 1 along a number line, winning points for accuracy. After an hour playing the game in two classes he taught, all 40 students posted perfect scores on a test comparing fractions, says Mr. Spence, who taught fourth grade before taking his current job incorporating technology in the classroom.
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