Ofsted was asked to provide evidence of effective practice in the teaching of early arithmetic, its report entitled; "Good practice in primary mathematics: evidence from 20 successful schools," was published in November 2011. Did this report pass you by? Unfortunately, as with many other reports not blessed with a "high…

Individual differences in strategy use (choice and accuracy) were analyzed. A sample of 362 Grade 6 students solved complex division problems under 2 different conditions. In the choice condition students were allowed to use either a mental or a written strategy. In the subsequent no-choice condition, they were required to use a written strategy.…

The results of an exploratory study into measurement of elementary mathematics ability are presented. The focus is on the abilities involved in solving standard computation problems on the one hand and problems presented in a realistic context on the other. The objectives were to assess to what extent these abilities are shared or distinct, and…

Assessed the strategic flexibility of students in mental arithmetic up to the number 100. Results from 60 Dutch second graders show that students' preference for certain mathematical procedures depend on the number characteristics of the problems, indicating that the students had a good conceptual understanding of numbers and procedures. Actual…

Efforts to develop a mathematics curriculum that meets the needs of a modern society are reflected in reform recommendations across the developed world. A common requirement is for students to understand the calculation procedures they are taught and to develop "number sense". This paper will analyse students' strategies for calculating…

Hypothesized that arithmetic calculating procedures and types of problems that necessitate more subproblems will lead to longer solution times. Data from 36 third grade students who mentally computed problems with sums greater than 20 and less than 100, confirmed both hypotheses. (RH)