In this session, we learned about fractions. Truth be told, I was not good in solving fraction problems as I am bad at visualising. This class session refreshed my memory of learning fractions in primary school. We were each given a piece of paper and we were asked to fold that into four equal parts. It's interesting to know that amongst our coursemates, we have different ways of folding that piece of paper. It shows that there is no one way to solve a math problem. Each of us have different ways of looking into a problem and thus having different ways to solve it. Similarly, it applies to the children too.
These diagrams could help you to have a better understanding about fractions.
abstracted from http://www.freewebs.com/workstattion/MATH/fractions/activities.htm
abstracted from http://manicmathmadness.blogspot.sg/2010/09/fractions-level-4.html
Dr Yeap has been emphasizing on CPA approach when teaching children in his sessions.
Concrete > Pictorial > Abstract approach enables students to encounter math in a meaningful way and translate mathematical skills from the concrete to the abstract.
abstracted from http://www.aspacio.net/2012/10/the-2nd-singapore-math-learning.html
For instance, when introducing fractions to children, allow them to explore with concrete materials first - folding a piece of paper into four equal parts. Then, checking for equal parts by overlapping. If the parts are divided into different shapes, cut them out and rearrange them to see if they overlap one another nicely.
Children will then constructed the idea of equal parts = equal amount. Thereafter, they could solve problems using the pictorial form of the shapes. Finally, they could solve problems of abstract symbols e.g. 1/4 + 3/4.
Check out this link, it has lessons and practice games pertaining to fractions.
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/fractions/index.html
No comments:
Post a Comment