Slide 1 - Welcome

Hi and welcome to this professional development session about teaching and planning for
engaging fractional learning. Presented by Michelle Harvey for Year 3 learners.

Slide 2 - Relevance of the learning for students in the chosen year level

Interpreting fractions and developing fractional thinking is relevant for Year 3 learners as it is
a fundamental cornerstone for other relevant mathematical concepts and proficiencies. As
stated by Fisher (2006), underlying the development of fractional thinking is a number
system that is unfamiliar from the numbers that students have already had experience with.
The language of fractions is also vastly different, including varying vocabulary and rules for
naming, quantifying, ordering, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Thus, learning
and developing mathematical proficiencies in interpreting fractions are important and
relevant for Year 3 learners. At this stage of mathematical proficiency as per the National
Numeracy Learning Progression, interpreting fractions involves the language of reimagining
the whole, including visualising, approximating, and adjusting unit fractions, identifying
examples and non-examples of partitioned representations, and demonstrating the parts to
which a whole is divided. These mathematical concepts related to fractional thinking are
interrelated and can overlap throughout the building of mathematical knowledge and
understanding across all strands of the mathematical learning area of the Australian
Curriculum for Year 3 learners. For example, the constructs of fractional thinking, which
include partitioning and determining divisive quantities, understanding the relationship
between wholes and parts, equivalence, operators, number lines, unitising, and additive and
subtractive operations, are relevant not only for fractional understanding but also in statistics
and probability in terms of identifying and describing outcomes of chance experiments, or in
measurement and geometry in terms of estimating units of measurement.

Slide 3 - Possible misconceptions or barriers to learning for students across the full
range of ability levels

As you know in your own teaching experiences, mathematics is a calculative process that
requires clear understanding of concepts and an abstract-systematic thinking in a logical
manner. This is a continuous learning process which, as stated by Sarwadi and Shahril (2014)
conceptualises students’ prior knowledge, skills, and understanding of mathematical
concepts. As with any learning area that is based on the development of conceptual
understanding, misconceptions can occur. Misconceptions in teaching and learning
mathematics can become barriers to reinforcing proficiencies in understanding, fluency,
problem solving, and reasoning. The teaching and learning of fractions, as stated by Yilmaz
et al. (2018), is one of the most extensive and difficult subjects of mathematics, due to its
conceptual extensiveness and the difficulties that arise as it is often initiated after the
teaching of natural numbers thus students conceptual understanding of ordering and
comparing is challenged. In terms of natural number understanding, relevant misconceptions
exist in fractional learning with students lack of understanding of how fractional numbers
differ from natural numbers, such as in showing fractions on a number line through sorting
and summation. For example, a misconception exists even once students have built a basic
understanding of fractions, whereby students believe a fraction is bigger based on the
reasoning that the number is bigger. This concept is counter-intuitive for students to grasp,
inn that their previous experience with whole numbers can interfere with the development of
fractional understanding particularly when ordering and comparing unit and non-unit
fractions. Another major misconception that creates a barrier for students’ proficiency in
understanding and interpreting fractions is student’s consolidation of properties of whole
numbers and fractions. This is based on the assumption that when the denominator is larger,
the portion will also be larger. This misconception is rooted from students lacking conceptual
understanding of rational numbers in that they do not have the same operation properties
as whole numbers. In this sense, students may have trouble expanding their understanding
of number representation. This misconception also relates to students understanding of
number values and magnitude, in that students may recognise rational numbers as different
to whole numbers, and as such, not recognise that these numbers can also be ordered,
compared, and placed on a number line in the same way as whole numbers.

Another misconception for students at this year level relates to the use and understanding of
the vocabulary associated with fractions. For example, the relationship and language in
describing a part and a whole can be challenging, particularly in students viewing a fraction
as a quotient relation between two numbers. In this case, students consider the numerator
and denominator to be two separate numbers which share no relationship (Tydings, 2014). In
doing so, students may misrepresent written fractions using symbols and numbers
accurately, hence resulting in students limited proficiency in fluency and reasoning when the
language of fractions is interpreted in this manner. Therefore, if we want to enrich students’
understanding of fractions and to help them overcome these misconceptions, we must
consider teaching strategies which add concrete, abstract and symbolic representations in
order for students to conceptualise and interpret fractions accurately.

Slide 4 - Relationship between selected teaching strategies and ways of working in the
area of specialisation / impact on student learning

The teaching strategies I have utilised in overcoming these misconceptions and barriers to
students developing mathematical proficiency were based off Tomlinson’s (2000) factors for
success in terms of differentiating instruction in the classroom. This is achieved when
teachers ensure:

 Curriculum is clearly focused on the information and understandings that are most
valued by an expert in a particular discipline.
 Lessons, activities, and products are designed to ensure that students grapple with,
use, and come to understand those essentials.
 Materials and tasks are interesting to students and seem relevant to them.
 Learning is active.

In terms of ensuring a targeted curriculum of information and understanding, my approach

was to incorporate a differentiated success criteria. This was based off the learning objective
for the lesson with a differentiated four-star tiered instruction using a personalised learning
approach. My reasoning for this was to ensure I would meet the diverse needs of students in
the classroom to provide the greatest impact for learning for all students in the classroom.
Orienteering students learning needs in a way which supports their level of knowledge and
readiness in the concept allows learners to focus on the process rather than the goal,
therefore encouraging students to take charge of their own learning and to easily shift their
goals higher or lower if or when necessary. As stated by Filer (2008), this is valuable as it
leads to greater creativity, self-efficacy, and extension of existing learning.

In order to address misconceptions in learning effectively, it is important to be explicit in

instruction and understanding whilst having a balance of student led consolidation and
application. In terms of activities and products, the lesson was designed for students to
directly apply the skills and processes of identifying, comparing, and ordering unit and non-
unit fractions to directly overcome the misconception that a larger denominator will result in
a larger fraction. This involved an explicit teacher led instruction model which followed a
gradual release of responsibility model which considers the students’ need to learn, apply,
and consolidate a skill or concept. For example, the pizza activity was primarily teacher led in
order to learn the concept accurately using manipulatives. Students were then able to apply
the skill by using their own parts of the pizza to make different fractions.

The use of materials for student learning were based on using manipulatives, such as the
circle cut outs that students are familiar with. The use of different parts of the circle was
important for students to visually conceptualise the concept of comparing parts of a shape.
In addressing the misconception of ordering based on the denominator with the highest
value, this activity directly addressed it by physically allowing students to see each fraction in
terms of size comparisons. Not only did this promote a concrete representation, but also
promoted active learning whereby students are involved in the process of making fractions
and its comparative parts to determine which fraction is greater using both concrete and
symbolic representations in the form of a number line.

Slide 5 - Key terminology that may require explanation through the lesson / learning
sequence and examples of plain language or strategies to define terms

The key terminology that may be required to further explore this misconception is in an
understanding of the language of fractions, which as previously stated is vastly different to a
typical number sense understanding. In this case, the key vocabulary of the lesson is
focussed on students building an understanding of the denominator and the numerator. This
number sense connects students to understanding fractions as numbers, which can be
named, quantified, ordered, added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided.

The strategies I used to define the terms of what is a denominator and numerator was to
perform a stand and stomp. A stand and stomp is an effective concept which focusses on
kinaesthetic learning by encouraging students to stand up and demonstrate a concept. This
is used to conceptualise and support learning as students perform the physical actions of a
term or concept. For example, I created and designed a short rhyme that links to a physical
action to memorise and reinforce how to write a fraction. The d-d-denominator sees
students move down towards the floor to demonstrate the position of the denominator in a
fraction, whilst the n-n-numerator sees students move up towards the sky to demonstrate
the position of the numerator in a fraction. It is here that a conceptual understanding of the
symbolic representation of a fraction can be reinforced and practiced at the beginning of a
lesson to hook students into the learning or as a check for understanding at the end of a
lesson.

Slide 6 - Key questions that promote learning and higher order thinking

The use of questioning is also a key formative tool to check for students understanding or to
reinforce concepts that will promote higher order thinking and minimise misconceptions. In
this case, I have incorporated a wide range of questioning strategies in order to promote a
fractional understanding of ordering and comparing and support student’s cognitive load.
The most effective way I have done this is to apply a wait time to my questioning. This allows
students the time to consider their developing knowledge and understanding and to extend
their answers. Research suggests that increasing wait time by a minimum of 3 seconds has a
positive impact on student outcomes, including achievement, retention, and higher cognitive
responses (NSW Government Education, 2021). In terms of the specific type of questioning
used, this included a combination of high cognitive questions, including open-ended and
evaluative questioning, as well as lower cognitive questions, including close-ended and
recall-based questioning. Peer to peer, or collaborative questioning was also used for
students to demonstrate understanding by learning together.

In terms of higher cognitive questions, this was used to promote deeper thinking of fractions
and to directly address the misconception in ordering and comparing. For example,
questions like “What is a unit fraction and how do you know that seven-eighths is a non-unit
fraction? Allows students to expand upon their thinking processes and really analyse what is
it that students know and need to know in order to overcome misunderstandings in learning.
These questions are expansive and require the learner to explain their understanding of a
concept which links to students developing reasoning in mathematical proficiency. Such
questions can be targeted to specific students to check for understanding in a verbally
formative manner. The use of bonus questions were used to engage with students higher-
order thinking and extension of knowledge, whereby students who understand the concept
are able to engage and stay motivated in the learning in challenging questions that extend
their mathematical knowledge and understanding.

Lower cognitive questions on the other hand were used to guide explicit instruction. For
example, how do we remember where to put the numerator and where to put the
denominator when we write fractions? Are you noticing anything about our denominator? I
used these questions to guide my explicit teacher talk to ensure I was using mathematically
relevant vocabulary to guide my understanding and reasoning.

Finally, in terms of peer to peer, or collaborative questioning, this was conducted in the form
of a turn and talk. Students were set a specific amount of time to share their ideas about
their understanding of fractions so far. Students can then share their turn and talk with the
whole class, allowing for the teacher to monitor the diverse thinking and processes of
student’s ideas and helps to formatively assess understanding and clarify ideas.

Slide 7 - Anticipated student responses to planned activities – audio

In considering appropriate questioning, I tried to anticipate student responses that align with
students developing mathematical language acquisition as well as allowances for
understanding and reasoning to be shared.

For example, when I asked students to explain how they determined that seven-eighths was
a non-unit fraction, I anticipate that students would be able to draw on their knowledge of
unit and non-unit fractions to determine that a unit fraction is a fraction with a numerator of
1, therefore seven-eighths has a numerator greater than 1, so it is a non-unit fraction.

Another instance of this occurred when comparing and ordering the three-unit fractions:
one-half, one-quarter, and one-eighth. When I asked students to identify the smallest sized
fraction, I anticipated that students would be able to identify the smallest sized part of the
shape using the different coloured pieces to differentiate and respond with one-eighth. I also
anticipated that students would follow a pattern-based thinking strategy to see the middle-
sized fraction and the largest sized fraction out of the two remaining shapes. I anticipated
that students would respond with one-quarter as the middle-sized fraction and one-half as
the largest fraction.

Slide 8 - Follow-up activities that consolidate/extend/revise learning

Follow up activities are important particularly when addressing misconceptions to

consolidate an understanding and application in a new way or to extend students
understanding of fractions. Consolidation of students understanding should be conducted
by introducing different shapes to which students will practice the same skills (creating and
comparing the size of different parts of the shapes and putting the fraction on a number
line). This is a great way for students to revise learning in an unfamiliar situation where the
application of knowledge and skills can continue to be monitored and explored. In terms of
extension, introducing the equivalence of fractions in this activity, as students recognise the
parts of two-quarters is the same as one-half, is an effective way to extend the learning for
students who are ready to conceptualise their learning at a higher level. Using collections,
including lego blocks and unifix cubes can also be an effective way for students to
consolidate and compare their knowledge and understanding, as students will see that the
size of the fraction does not change irrespective of the materials used and therefore further
consolidates students understanding when comparing and ordering unit and non-unit
fractions. Creating various number lines may also be an effective consolidation tool where
students can visually and physically make fractions to fit within each of the number line
intervals, hence comparing the length or height of each fraction.

Slide 9 – Conclusion

That concludes this professional development session. I hope this will help you to teach and
plan for engaging fractional learning. Remember, when teaching a tricky concept:

 Take small steps

 Consider cognitive load
 Make learning active and engaging
 And ensure there is satisfaction in learning for all students.