Strategies that Teachers Can Use to Promote Algebraic Reasoning Among Learners

Chapter 13 discusses strategies that teachers can use to promote algebraic reasoning among learners. One of the main ideas in the chapter regards how teachers should help children approach algebra to improve their understanding of algebraic concepts. According to Van De Walle et al. (2017), “Algebra must be approached in a way that children, as they seek and build relations, see it is a useful tool for making sense of all areas of mathematics and real-world situations”(p. 269). This statement suggests that teachers should help children relate algebra with real-world situations and all areas of mathematics. The second main idea is on the effectiveness of matching equations to property. Van De Walle et al. (2017) state, “Traditionally, instruction on the properties has involved matching equations to which property they illustrate. That is not sufficient and should not be the focus of your instruction on the properties” (p. 288). The authors recommend addressing this issue by focusing on helping children understand and recognize important generalizations and use them to create equivalent expressions to flexibly and efficiently solve problems.

The chapter also offers pieces of information that surprised me. One of them is the information on how to help children understand how each step in solving algebraic problems can be built. Van De Walle et al. (2017) state, “When a child observes that each new step can be built by adding on to or changing the previous step, the discussion should include a demonstration of how this can be done” (p. 298). The second piece of information that surprised me was the information about how teachers can support children in using multiplication and addition invented strategies. “Focusing on patterns in skip counting will support children’s use of invented strategies for addition as well as multiplication” (Van De Walle et al., 2017, p. 301). These two pieces of information can be applied to improve children’s understanding of algebra and multiplication and addition functions.

Question: Which real-world situations require applying algebraic reasoning?

References

Van De Walle, J. A., Lovin, L. H., Bay-Williams, J. M., & Karp, K. (2017). Teaching student-centered mathematics: Developmentally appropriate instruction for Pre-K-2 (3rd ed., Vol. 1). Pearson.

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