Reply To: 1-3 – Fractions – Discussion

[Rebecca Malo]

One takeaway for me was the power of using language of fractions in everyday life with young children to build a familiarity, but then consciously using language like ‘fourths’ to building understanding relative to a whole.

One thing I wonder about is when to start to introduce the numeral notation of fractions. I love using concrete materials and oral language to build understanding but the move to numeral representation needs to be carefully considered in the early years. In my experience if you introduce it too early they can latch on to what is written and take the focus away from understanding, it’s finding that ideal balance that is tricky.

[Rebecca Malo]

One takeaway for me was the power of using language of fractions in everyday life with young children to build a familiarity, but then consciously using language like ‘fourths’ to building understanding relative to a whole.

One thing I wonder about is when to start to introduce the numeral notation of fractions. I love using concrete materials and oral language to build understanding but the move to numeral representation needs to be carefully considered in the early years. In my experience if you introduce it too early they can latch on to what is written and take the focus away from understanding, it’s finding that ideal balance that is tricky.