Introducing multiplication and division contexts in junior primary classes

Abstract

This paper shares research from a pilot study in which young children were introduced to multiplication and division problems in their first year of school. The focus was on building children’s conceptual understanding of the idea of “repeated groups” as a fundamental aspect of multiplication and its relation to division. The particular mathematics lessons in this study began with simple word problems involving groups of two, using familiar contexts such as pairs of shoes and socks and progressed to groups of five. Children worked with materials to solve problems, often using addition (and subtraction) as they solved multiplication (and division) problems.