Suggests a multitude of ideas for students to communicate their ideas in writing using the language of mathematics. Includes a sampling of 500+ writing formats, 67 abbreviated writing assignments, and three complete assignments along with a sample student response to each. Sample assignments include advice column, biographical sketch, commercial,…

Bringing the practice of knowing mathematics in school closer to knowing mathematics within the discipline was studied with 18 fifth graders. Student activities in asserting and examining hypotheses were contrasted with conventional school mathematics activities. (SLD)

Presents a series of 5 reproducible worksheets for grade levels 5-10 that provide hands-on activities to help develop the concept of slope. (MDH)

Gives suggestions for incorporating journal writing into mathematics classrooms and provides examples of prompts and questions to help students write. (MKR)

Describes one elementary teacher's experiences participating in the Talking Mathematics Project, which provided a forum for teachers to teach, reflect on their mathematics knowledge, and think about their practice. Teachers were videotaped in their classrooms. They examined the videotapes alone and in seminars. Reflecting with others enriched the…

Presents the elementary-level formative evaluation method of functional diagnosis that gives students immediate feedback on completed assignments. Gives three examples of the method as observed in the classrooms of master teachers: putting red dots next to problems needing attention; paired learning, and student answer keys. (MDH)

Learning environment that facilitated the acquisition and expression of procedural skills in LOGO was set up for children in the 10- to 12-year range. Ten participants were placed in a series of situations that required them to manipulate programing procedures in LOGO. Analysis of children's behavior revealed their competence in manipulating…

Six students (ages 12-14) with learning disabilities received either cognitive or metacognitive strategy instruction for mathematical problem solving, followed by instruction in the complementary component. Results indicated that cognitive and metacognitive strategies were more effective than either cognitive or metacognitive strategy instruction…

Ten high-ability middle school students participated in a 13 week enrichment program on inferential statistics. Consistent with the NCTM Standards, classes emphasized problem solving in real world contexts and the communication of mathematical ideas. Students struggled with written assignments, yet worked effectively in pairs, small groups, and…

An urban independent middle school grouped its 63 sixth and seventh graders into single-sex mathematics classes (SSMC) to improve girls' achievement in mathematics (AIM) and attitudes toward mathematics (ATM) with no negative impact on boys. Researchers analyzed AIM, ATM, and interactions/instruction. AIM measures included Metropolitan Achievement…

Recent reforms in mathematics education suggest that classroom teachers ought to shift away from the traditional concentration on arithmetical computation and adopt goals of mathematical confidence, problem solving, communication, reasoning, and appreciation. To understand how students are thinking in a given situation, teachers need to make their…

The Skill Acquisition Measures (SAM) were designed by the Lancaster (Pennsylvania) School District as criterion referenced tests for mathematics. This manual consists of copies of the student test forms for level 6, with additional information for the teacher's use. Each of the test items is presented with the correct answers and the criteria for…

The Skill Acquisition Measures (SAM) were designed by the Lancaster (Pennsylvania) School District as criterion referenced tests for mathematics. This manual consists of copies of the student test forms for level 4, with additional information for the teacher's use. Each of the test items is presented with the correct answers and the criteria for…

This project examined: (1) the skills to be taught in a remedial mathematics program for fifth through eighth grade students (N=40) who are at least 2 years behind in general mathematics at their respective grade levels; (2) guidelines from the educational literature that are appropriate for use by a remedial mathematics middle school teacher; (3)…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of using calculators on the mathematical achievement and attitude of low-income sixth-grade students when they were taught problem solving. Thirty-five sixth-grade students in two intact classes were assigned to two treatment groups. The experimental group was taught problem solving using…