Children's Mathematical Thinking in Primary Years (Children, Teachers and Learning)

This popular Continuum series, intended chiefly for teachers and trainee teachers, places strong emphasis on practice but at the same time incorporates the latest research in the field. The book demonstrates a strong belief in the ability of children to learn, and in the ability of teachers to increase children's learning potential. The series authors are distinguished practitioners in their fields who write with authority, but without jargon. With the increasingly popular constructivist framework for learning, teachers are coming to recognize the limitations of taught procedures and to find ways to encourage children to generate their own knowledge and understanding in mathematics. The challenge for teachers is to promote an environment that encourages mathematical thinking in which pupils of all abilities are able to achieve their full potential. This text brings together experiences of teachers and researchers who examine the ways children work mathematically, in order to provide an enhanced learning environment within the classroom. It also addresses key issues in current maths teaching.