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Math Annotated Bibliography

Maggie Estabrooks

Elementary Math Methods

Shaunda Wood

March 2, 2017
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Courey, S., Balogh, E., Siker, J., & Paik, J. (2012). Academic music: music instruction to engage

third-grade students in learning basic fraction concepts. Educational Studies In

Mathematics, 81(2), 251-278. doi:10.1007/s10649-012-9395-9

This article useful to teachers because it shows how some students can improve in

math by incorporating music. Many students have difficulties with fractions,

which can put them behind when they move the next grade. If teachers see

students who are having fraction difficulties maybe creating music integrated

math lessons is the answer. Throughout the article there are example activities for

students that integration music notation with fractions. For example; what does a

quarter note look like? Half note? Whole? What does 4/4 time in music mean?

After going over these concepts teachers can get students to compare fractions in

music to fractions they do in math, so they can see the similarities. Sometimes as

teachers we forget to integrate subjects like music, but as shown in this article it

can create extra practice for students who need it.

Gearhart, M., Saxe, G. B., Seltzer, M., Schlackman, J., Ching, C. C., Nasir, N., Fall, R., ... Sloan,

T. F. (May 01, 1999). Opportunities to Learn Fractions in Elementary Mathematics

Classrooms. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 30, 3, 286-315

This article is useful to teachers because it goes through some ways for them to

incorporate problem solving skill and NCTM standards into their teaching

practices. By testing different classes on problem solving question and

computation questions the article goes through to find more opportunities for

student learning. Teachers who read this article will see how to address conceptual

issues underlying problem solving in ways that build on students thinking.

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Another point found was how to teach the ways that numeric representations are

linked to fractions concepts. Opportunities such as this will give teachers a chance

to involve more NCTM standard and developed learning into their classroom.

Mix, K. S., Levine, S. C., & Huttenlocher, J. (1999). Early fraction calculation ability.

Developmental Psychology, 35(1), 164-174. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.35.1.164

This article would be interesting for teachers because it tests mathematical

abilities of children ages 3-7. By looking at whole number and fractional

concepts with students who have not yet had formal instruction will gives teachers

an idea on where they can start with students in these topics. Since students

sometimes have problems with these two concepts it is important to find the cause

of their struggles. The article does say that it is not (usually) a misunderstanding

of whole number concepts before moving onto fractions. One hypothesis is that

children may have difficulty using the same written symbols to stand for both

whole numbers and fractional amounts. Information like this can help teacher try

out new methods of teaching fractions in their classroom. Developing new and

improved ways to teach something like fractions is a difficult process but one that

is very important.

Newton, K. J. (April 01, 2009). Instructional practices related to prospective elementary school

teachers motivation for fractions. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 12, 2, 89-

109.

This article is great for prospective teachers and also for teacher who will be

working with them. It shows how, at the time, new teachers were thinking about

teaching math. Elementary teachers show high levels of anxiety and low levels of
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confidence when it comes to teaching math. This is concerning for teachers

because their anxiety and the way the present math to students can translate that

attitude. The last thing teachers can is to be the cause of students not enjoying or

being anxious about a subject. The article suggests prospective teachers look into

their anxiety and with time it should go down after more experience teaching the

subject. One thing the article wanted to look at was if levels of motivation/anxiety

were different based on the math topic, in the end there was no significant

difference.

Newton, K. J. (December 01, 2008). An Extensive Analysis of Preservice Elementary Teachers'

Knowledge of Fractions. American Educational Research Journal, 45, 4, 1080-1110.

Similar to the last article, this article deals with how prepared preservice

teachers are when it comes to math. Fraction in particular are such a difficult

concept to teach that it is often under analysis by researchers. s. This article is

important for teachers because it shows them how their anxieties and emotions

towards a topic can affect students. One issue the article highlights for these

anxietys is that some colleges do not prepare elementary teachers to teach math

concepts. The process in which math is taught has changed as well which can

affect new teachers anxiety level. After seeing this information prospective

teacher may take the time to develop their math concepts before teaching. It could

also benefit the school to have a teachers who can help other teachers when they

are struggling with math concepts while teaching. When teachers understand

concepts better than their students learn more.

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Tobias, J. M. (April 01, 2013). Prospective elementary teachers development of fraction

language for defining the whole. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 16, 2, 85-

103.

This article is wonderful for new teachers to read because it highlight how to use

fraction language when teaching students. One of the reasons that fractions can be

so hard for students is because they do not understand what is being asked in a

question. The give an example of students answering how much instead of

how many. It can also be hard for new teachers to use the new fraction

language that is used in classrooms nowadays. From this article teachers can take

away ideas on how to clarify their questions to students. It gives great examples

of teachers talking through ways to use language with fractions to better

communicate to students what they need to be doing.