Flexibility in Children's Fraction Representations: A Multimodal Approach

• In Event: The Role of Hands-On Materials in Mathematics Education

Abstract

Fractions are well-known for the difficulty they present children. Nevertheless, promoting children’s development of flexible fraction knowledge is critical for their success both in and out of school. In this study, we investigate how children demonstrate flexibility when using four instructional tools—counters, fraction circles, fraction bars, and number lines—to represent different fractions. From a multimodal analysis of 19 video-recorded interviews with elementary-school children, findings indicate that children who demonstrated low flexibility when problem-solving also tended to produce non-verbal links (e.g., eye gaze, pointing, action on objects, etc.) across the instructional tools. We present one case study to illustrate non-verbal linking. We contend that such linking may indicate developing understanding and representational flexibility.

Authors

• Shereen Oca Beilstein, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Paul Beilstein, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Yeo Eun Yun, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Christian Palaguachi, Northeastern Illinois University

• Steven Montalvo, Northeastern Illinois University

• Ashley Lebrón Vázquez, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Ruth Breckinridge Church, Northeastern illinois University