Inquiry to Action Diagnosing and Addressing Students’ Relational Thinking About the Equal Sign

One area of algebraic thinking essential for students' success is a relational understanding of the equal sign. Research has indicated a positive correlation between students' relational understanding of the equal sign and their equation-solving performance, suggesting that students'...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inTeaching exceptional children Vol. 49; no. 2; pp. 126 - 133
Main Authors Harbour, Kristin E., Karp, Karen S., Lingo, Amy S.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.11.2016
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
Subjects
Algebra
Arithmetic
Colleges & universities
Concept Teaching
Councils
Curricula
Direct Instruction
Disabilities
Educational Diagnosis
Elementary School Mathematics
Elementary School Students
Equations (Mathematics)
Interviews
Learning
Lesson Plans
Mathematical Concepts
Mathematics
Mathematics Achievement
Mathematics Instruction
Misconceptions
Nostalgia
Number systems
Problem Solving
Screening Tests
Skills
Students with disabilities
Success
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Summary:One area of algebraic thinking essential for students' success is a relational understanding of the equal sign. Research has indicated a positive correlation between students' relational understanding of the equal sign and their equation-solving performance, suggesting that students' early conception of the equal sign may affect their learning and performance on more complex algebraic equation-solving tasks. Gathering data on students' strengths and misconceptions, using data to develop instructional plans, and incorporating multiple representations to support students transition to abstract thinking during instruction are all essential components of effective teaching for all concepts in mathematics. Helping all students develop a relational understanding of the equal sign through the use of various representations and exposure to various equation types (i.e., standard and nonstandard) promotes conceptual understanding of an essential skill in students' early algebraic thinking. With explicit instruction, students with disabilities can develop a true understanding of the equal sign, a knowledge that supports students' algebraic reasoning and mathematics performance in subsequent years.
ISSN:0040-0599
2163-5684
DOI:10.1177/0040059916673310