Results of a Teaching Experiment to Foster the Conceptual Understanding of Multiplication Based on Children’s Literature

The importance of conceptual understanding in mathematics has been well documented (Hiebert & Carpenter, 1992). This paper reports selected results from a research study that used a conjecture-driven teaching experiment (Confrey & Lachance, 1999) to enhance Year 3 students ’ conceptual understanding of multiplication. The teaching experiment employed children’s literature as a mediational tool for students to explore and engage in multiplication activities and dialogue. The SOLO taxonomy (Biggs & Collis, 1989) was used to both frame the novel teaching and learning activities, as well as assess the level of students ’ conceptual understanding of multiplication. The world is changing rapidly and future members of the workforce will need to reason mathematically to use technologically sophisticated equipment and resources (English, 2002). As future members of this workforce students require access to a quality mathematics education otherwise their personal and economic success may be limited (Tate & Rousseau, 2002). DETYA (2000) highlighted a growing number of early numeracy programs that embrace the “research in children’s learning of mathematical understandings and concepts ” (p. 25) to guide teaching and learning practice. Most moder