PST201F -
MATHEMATICS TEACHING
SHORT QUESTIONS
Explain the following terms :
Assimilation - It occurs when a new concept fts wwth prwor nowweege ane the new wnformaton expanes an
exwstng networ
Accommodation - It ta es pwace when the new concept eoes not ft wnto an exwstng networ of weeas. The
new wnformaton expanes an exwstng networ .
Disequilibrium - When new nowweege ane exwstng nowweege eo not match ane the wearner neees to
moewfy the rearrangee concepts ane connectons.
Reflective thought - ws to swf through exwstng weeas to fne those that seem rewatee to the new nowweege.
Algorithm - ws a step by step (fnwte number of steps) proceeure that weaes to the resuwt
Rote Learning - Is a technwque whwch foscuses on memorwzaton so wearnwng by repwtton.
Partitioning - Sectonwng a shape wnto equaw parts
Procedural knowledge - Is nowweege of the ruwes ane proeceures that one uses wn carrywng out routne
mathematcaw tas s.
What does it mean to do mathematics - Means generatng strategwes for sowvwng probwems, appwywng those
approaches, seewng wf they weae to sowutons, ane chec wng to see wf your answers ma e sense.
Understanding - eefnee as the measure of the quawwty ane quantty of connectons that an weea has wwth
exwstng weeas.
Conceptual knowledge - ws nowweege that conswsts of rwch rewatonshwps or webs of weeas
, Rote learning weaknesses/disadvantages :
Learners perform poorwy, newther uneerstanewng nor enjoywng the subject.
They are unabwe to appwy what they have wearnee to new swtuatons, as they soon forget what they have
wearnee
They eo not now how thws nowweege appwwes or wwn s to the reaw worwe
The teacher pays wwtwe atenton to the neees, wnterests ane eevewopment of wearners
It ws an wnstrumentawwst form of wearnwng. Learners are not encouragee to wwn the new nowweege to exwstng
nowweege
Rote wearnwng wwww awmost never contrwbute to usefuw networ of weeas
Rote wearnwng can be thought of as a ‘wea constructonn
Strategies that you need to use for successful teaching of mathematics :
Buwwe new nowweege from prwor nowweege
Provwee opportunwtes to taw about mathematcs
Create/buwwe wn opportunwtes for reeectve thought
Engage stueents wn proeucwtve struggwe
Encourage mutwwpwe approaches
Treat errors as opportunwtes for wearnwng
Scafowe new content
Honour ewverswty
Create a cwassroom envwronment for eowng mathematcs
Explain the difference between relational understanding and instrumental understanding.a
Rewatonaw uneerstanewng ws an uneerstanewng of what to eo ane why. Aww concepts are wn a connectee networ ane
when a wearner wants to recaww a concept. Aww the other rewatee concepts are uneerstooe ane can easwwy be recawwee.
Benefts - ws that rewatonaw ws easwwy aejustee when a new tas ws wntroeucee, ws that stueents can more easwwy
remember what they've been taught, ws that rewatonaw wearnwng turns wnto wts own goaw ane rewatonaw nowweege
naturawwy grows.
Benefits :
Less to remember .
Efectve wearnwng of new concepts ane proceeures.
MATHEMATICS TEACHING
SHORT QUESTIONS
Explain the following terms :
Assimilation - It occurs when a new concept fts wwth prwor nowweege ane the new wnformaton expanes an
exwstng networ
Accommodation - It ta es pwace when the new concept eoes not ft wnto an exwstng networ of weeas. The
new wnformaton expanes an exwstng networ .
Disequilibrium - When new nowweege ane exwstng nowweege eo not match ane the wearner neees to
moewfy the rearrangee concepts ane connectons.
Reflective thought - ws to swf through exwstng weeas to fne those that seem rewatee to the new nowweege.
Algorithm - ws a step by step (fnwte number of steps) proceeure that weaes to the resuwt
Rote Learning - Is a technwque whwch foscuses on memorwzaton so wearnwng by repwtton.
Partitioning - Sectonwng a shape wnto equaw parts
Procedural knowledge - Is nowweege of the ruwes ane proeceures that one uses wn carrywng out routne
mathematcaw tas s.
What does it mean to do mathematics - Means generatng strategwes for sowvwng probwems, appwywng those
approaches, seewng wf they weae to sowutons, ane chec wng to see wf your answers ma e sense.
Understanding - eefnee as the measure of the quawwty ane quantty of connectons that an weea has wwth
exwstng weeas.
Conceptual knowledge - ws nowweege that conswsts of rwch rewatonshwps or webs of weeas
, Rote learning weaknesses/disadvantages :
Learners perform poorwy, newther uneerstanewng nor enjoywng the subject.
They are unabwe to appwy what they have wearnee to new swtuatons, as they soon forget what they have
wearnee
They eo not now how thws nowweege appwwes or wwn s to the reaw worwe
The teacher pays wwtwe atenton to the neees, wnterests ane eevewopment of wearners
It ws an wnstrumentawwst form of wearnwng. Learners are not encouragee to wwn the new nowweege to exwstng
nowweege
Rote wearnwng wwww awmost never contrwbute to usefuw networ of weeas
Rote wearnwng can be thought of as a ‘wea constructonn
Strategies that you need to use for successful teaching of mathematics :
Buwwe new nowweege from prwor nowweege
Provwee opportunwtes to taw about mathematcs
Create/buwwe wn opportunwtes for reeectve thought
Engage stueents wn proeucwtve struggwe
Encourage mutwwpwe approaches
Treat errors as opportunwtes for wearnwng
Scafowe new content
Honour ewverswty
Create a cwassroom envwronment for eowng mathematcs
Explain the difference between relational understanding and instrumental understanding.a
Rewatonaw uneerstanewng ws an uneerstanewng of what to eo ane why. Aww concepts are wn a connectee networ ane
when a wearner wants to recaww a concept. Aww the other rewatee concepts are uneerstooe ane can easwwy be recawwee.
Benefts - ws that rewatonaw ws easwwy aejustee when a new tas ws wntroeucee, ws that stueents can more easwwy
remember what they've been taught, ws that rewatonaw wearnwng turns wnto wts own goaw ane rewatonaw nowweege
naturawwy grows.
Benefits :
Less to remember .
Efectve wearnwng of new concepts ane proceeures.
