Mathematical games can be used to engage learners, promote fluency and deepen conceptual understanding. When considering the level of engagement of students, sometimes a small change can have a large impact. Something as simple as switching dice for cards in a game and, importantly, introducing a 'non-replacement' mechanism to the gameplay, can…

Exercise is essential for mastering mathematics, but it faces two major hurdles. First, students are often not motivated to do their homework. Second, checking traditional homework is a manual and labor-intensive process that becomes harder to support as the number of students increases. We argue that computer games could alleviate both problems.…

Australian primary school teachers have reported that they use games frequently in teaching mathematics. In this paper, the authors discuss the game mechanics of five types of whole-class games that can be particularly powerful for supporting mathematical thinking and student engagement in mathematics.

The authors present a new classroom-tested lesson that was designed to engage students in the joy of mathematical inquiry through a card game, Frustration, while building number sense, understanding of uncertainty, statistical reasoning, and discourse skills. The purpose in developing and sharing these lessons is to highlight how games of chance…

Games are an everyday part of most students' lives. Games engage students and provide opportunities to foster perseverance in problem solving. When implemented in the mathematics classroom, game-based learning can have similar positive benefits. Students can enjoy mathematics and develop important life skills that will help them in their current…

In this article, the authors share how gameplay with dominoes can leverage students' quantitative reasoning to promote number development and additive reasoning. This article explores three domino games (Basic Dominoes, Just Before/Just After, and Ten Train), and considers the following: (1) rules and details; (2) students' subitizing and unit…

Regular contributors James and Toby Russo return with a sixth principle for educationally-rich mathematical games--almost all mathematical games have the potential to be transformed into an investigation. This article builds on their earlier piece with Leicha A Bragg (APMC 23(3), 30-34). [For "Five Principles of Educationally Rich…

Game-based learning has received more focus as a way to engage students and increase interest in mathematics. Game-based learning should be integrated with effective practices for teaching mathematics, though these is a need for further research on effective implementation models. The purpose of this article is to describe two modes of game-based…

This article describes several ways to connect probability to other topics within mathematics, over a range of year levels, and across the curriculum. It includes a description of common issues and misconceptions, and practical learning activities to address them.

Teaching and learning fraction concepts continues to be increasingly challenging, especially for elementary and middle school mathematics teachers and students in intervention settings. It is critical for educators to implement instruction that proactively considers engagement, access, and conceptual growth for all students. Dream 2B, a web-based…

Research suggests that young children have a complex sense of informal mathematics, including an understanding of more and less, shape, and patterns (Ginsburg, Lee, & Boyd, 2008), and that attention to mathematics in early childhood ensures that children have a strong foundation for later learning. For children with identified disabilities,…

Mathematical play has a fairly short history, with strong roots further back in time (e.g., Papert, Montessori), and understanding the role of mathematical play from early childhood to adulthood is, as yet. unmapped. This working group will build on the success of last year's working group and continue to provide a community space to explore and…