From what works to scaling up: Improving mental strategies in South African Grade 3 classes

• Mike Askew ^[2] ; Mellony Graven ^[1] ; Hamsa Venkat ^[2]
  1. [1] Rhodes University

     Rhodes University

     Makana, Sudáfrica

     
  2. [2] University of Witwatersrand
• Localización: Proceedings of the 45th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education / coord. por Ceneida Fernández Verdú, Salvador Llinares Ciscar, Ángel Gutiérrez Rodríguez, Núria Planas i Raig, Vol. 2, 2022 (Research Reports A – H), ISBN 978-84-1302-176-8, págs. 27-34
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • This paper shares results from a national ‘familiarisation trial’ of a mental mathematics intervention focused on assessing and encouraging strategic calculation methods with Grade 3 students in South Africa. Successful smaller pilots refined the intervention into 6 foci and this paper draws on assessment results from the four provinces that trialled one focus: adding and subtracting using jump strategies. Findings from pre- and post- test results of 1379 students show statistically significant gains in both the fluencies underlying calculating strategically and in items assessing strategic competency. The results indicate that scaling up this model into national implementation is feasible, and that the intervention package can support improvements in mental mathematics learning outcomes.