Strategies for Teaching Fractions to Junior High/High School Students Identified with Learning Disabilities Laura Klescewski Terri Brauer

CMAG Closing the Math Achievement Gap Closing the Math Achievement Gap Dr. Judith Hankes, UW-O Dr. Judith Hankes, UW-O 3 year study 3 year study

CGI Cognitively Guided Instruction Cognitively Guided Instruction History History Prior Knowledge Prior Knowledge –Children come to school with an innate ability to solve problems. –Children may understand the concept but may not be able to make sense of the procedure. Inventing strategies Inventing strategies –It is more effective for children to come up with their own methods vs. being taught the procedure without understanding. True Understanding True Understanding Self Esteem Self Esteem

Steps to Understanding Fractions Always introduce fractions in the form of a story problem. Always introduce fractions in the form of a story problem. Students must draw out their own fraction pictures. Students must draw out their own fraction pictures. Students must understand fractions are part of a whole. Students must understand fractions are part of a whole. Multiplying and dividing fractions are much easier than adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, mixed fractions, and improper fractions. Multiplying and dividing fractions are much easier than adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, mixed fractions, and improper fractions.

Using Prior Knowledge to Solve Fraction Problems At school we had a bake sale and had to make 1050 cookies. How much sugar did we need? (¾ cup sugar is needed to make 50 cookies)

Insert Ryan solving Rolland’s recipe problem Denny explaining to Melissa

Begin with a Fraction of the Whole The library received some new books. ½ of them are fantasy. ¼ of them are biographies. 1/8 of them are mysteries. 6 were sport books. How many new books did the library get? The library received some new books. ½ of them are fantasy. ¼ of them are biographies. 1/8 of them are mysteries. 6 were sport books. How many new books did the library get? Insert Ryan books video

Student Must Find a Fraction of a Fraction Randy dropped the cookie jar. Half the cookies fell on the floor. Before he could clean it up, the dog came and ate 2/3 of the cookies. Then his little brother came in and ate half of the cookies on the floor. When Randy came to clean up the mess there were only 4 cookies left on the floor. How many were in the cookie jar before Randy dropped it? Randy dropped the cookie jar. Half the cookies fell on the floor. Before he could clean it up, the dog came and ate 2/3 of the cookies. Then his little brother came in and ate half of the cookies on the floor. When Randy came to clean up the mess there were only 4 cookies left on the floor. How many were in the cookie jar before Randy dropped it?

Insert Insert Ryan solving cookie jar problem

A Fraction of a Fraction Jill ate 1/3 of a ½ of a candy bar. Jill ate 1/3 of a ½ of a candy bar. John ate ½ of a 1/3 of candy bar. John ate ½ of a 1/3 of candy bar. Who ate more? Who ate more?

Insert video of Melissa-Jill, John Insert video of Melissa-Jill, John

Moving into Multiplication of Fractions Insert video of multiplying fractions

Different Stages of Development Insert video of Denny and Melissa Insert video of Denny and Melissa

What Getting Started Looks Like Insert what fraction of the circle is shaded? Insert what fraction of the circle is shaded? Beginning Fraction problems Beginning Fraction problems Insert video of 5 th graders Insert video of 5 th graders

Addresses and Websites Laura Klescewski-Jr. High/High School SLD teacher Laura Klescewski-Jr. High/High School SLD teacher Terri Brauer-K-6 SLD teacher Terri Brauer-K-6 SLD teacher