From additive to multiplicative thinking: Learning from research and practice -

Abstract

Early years (5 to 7 years) and middle primary years (8 to 11 years)

Multiplicative thinking is substantially more complex than additive thinking and may take many years to achieve. This is because the sort of multiplicative thinking that is needed to support success in school mathematics in the middle years and beyond involves much more than repeated addition. It involves processes such as shrinking, enlarging, and exponentiating which are fundamentally more complex than the more obvious processes of aggregation and disaggregation associated with additive thinking and the use of whole numbers.

This session will draw on research and practice to consider the key ideas and strategies underpinning the critical shift from additive to multiplicative thinking. It will focus on what is needed to support the development of efficient mental strategies for multiplication facts to 100 and the role of multiplicative thinking in developing a deep understanding of fractions, decimals and proportional reasoning. While the emphasis will be on the development of conceptual understanding from the early to middle years, a number of practical suggestions will be made along the way including suitable games/activities and resources.