Algebra – ThomasJPitts.co.uk

Generalising The Pattern Rule For Visual Growth Patterns: Actions That Support 8 Year Olds’ Thinking

ThomasJPitts 11th October 2011

Assignment 1

Generalising The Pattern Rule For Visual Growth Patterns: Actions That Support 8 Year Olds’ Thinking

Key points: This article is full of ideas to support my action research with children when the time comes. I intend to use some of the ideas within to help structure my input and form the base and review tasks. This article also grabs me as it contains citations of other authors I have read so […]

Plans for action research into children’s use of algebra to describe growing patterns

ThomasJPitts 3rd June 2011

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Action Research, Assignment 1

Plans for action research into children’s use of algebra to describe growing patterns

Over the course of the next couple of weeks in school, I intend to begin my work with the children. I haven’t really finished my reading yet, but I have a solid foundation to begin from – also I have the time available to me in school over these two weeks and after that it […]

An Error Analysis Of Form 2 (Grade 7) Students In Simplifying Algebraic Expressions: A Descriptive Study

ThomasJPitts 18th May 2011

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An Error Analysis Of Form 2 (Grade 7) Students In Simplifying Algebraic Expressions: A Descriptive Study

Key points: Algebra is a third of the Malaysian Secondary Mathematics curriculum. The article lists a large range of sources relating to misconceptions in the understanding of algebra. It states that, because algebra is an extension of previously acquired mathematical learning, it is linked to the use of symbolic representations and that “Warren (2003) felt that understandings […]

ThomasJPitts 17th May 2011

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Algebra At The Age Of Four

Key points: The article discusses how algebraic equations can be shown as visual sentences. The example of x+y=4, where x>y is used. The Reception aged children are given two rules to colour them in: “they have to colour in four snails, and the number of brown-coloured snails must be more than the number of yellow-coloured […]

Making Use Of Children’s Powers To Produce Algebraic Thinking

ThomasJPitts 15th May 2011

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Making Use Of Children’s Powers To Produce Algebraic Thinking

Key points: That children struggle to make the move from being in a situation where “not knowing answers (to arithmetic calculations) is treated negatively, and then suddenly introduced to algebra in which not knowing is treated positively as an opportunity to use symbols, as a way of working with not knowing.” “Whenever a learner solves […]

What Is Algebra? What Is Algebraic Reasoning?

ThomasJPitts 15th May 2011

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What Is Algebra? What Is Algebraic Reasoning?

Key points: “Recent research on the status of student knowledge based in the traditional arithmetic-then-algebra regime has pointed to specific obstacles to algebra learning that computational arithmetic creates for the learning of algebra. For example, limited approaches to equality and the “=” sign in arithmetic as separator of procedure from result (Kieran, 1992) and now known to […]

ThomasJPitts 15th May 2011

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Algebraic Infants

“This paper describes a lesson taught to Judy’s Y2 class in a rural Hertfordshire primary school. It shows how meaningful mathematics can be made accessible to young children and, importantly, how fundamental issues of variant and invariant properties might be developed. An important component of this understanding is the position to term relationship – the relationship […]

ThomasJPitts 4th May 2011

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Problem Solving In The United Kingdom

The article gives a history of the mathematics landscape in the UK since 1837. Algebra has been part of this throughout. We see algebra as a key tool to help solve problems now, but historically “problem solving was seen as a specialized skill, only for mathematicians in opening up new fields.” Key points: “A problem […]

Equivalence and Equations in Early Years Classrooms

ThomasJPitts 4th May 2011

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Equivalence and Equations in Early Years Classrooms

Key points: “Early algebraic thinking in a primary context is not about introducing formal algebraic concepts into the classroom but involves reconsidering how we think about arithmetic.” “arithmetic thinking focuses on product (a focus on arithmetic as a computational tool) and algebraic thinking focuses on process (a focus on the structure of arithmetic) (Malara & Navarra, […]

ThomasJPitts 11th September 2008

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Golf Handicaps

Golf Handicaps are by far one of the most difficult things for new golfers and non-golfers to understand. These handicaps can help golfers to understand what is going on and what is expected of them. If you are a newer golfer trying to set your handicap in the right direction, start by understanding the most […]