Section 5: Practical work with fractions

Key Focus Question: How can you help pupils to understand fractions?

Keywords: fraction strips; fraction discs; simple operations; group work; problem solving; definition; numerator

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this section, you will have:

  • developed pupils’ understanding of fractions using simple resources;
  • used group work and problem solving to increase pupils’ confidence in dealing with fractions.

Introduction

Allowing pupils to divide things into ‘parts of a whole’ using real objects helps them move more easily onto abstract ideas, such as fractions, division, ratio and proportion. This section will help you use simple physical objects and practical activities to develop your pupils’ understanding of these concepts.

1. Group work on fractions