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Chewing the fat about maths can add up to quicker learning. John Dabell explains all.
There are lots of classic mistakes in maths that learners of all ages make. For example, the idea that multiplication makes bigger or division makes smaller. The rules are not absolute.
Then you've got the theory that when multiplying by 10, you simply add a nought on the end. Not so. Think about 10x10.5, for example. And what about the view that the bigger the denominator, the bigger the fraction?
These over-generalisations often represent embryonic ideas that need challenging. Pupils talking, rather than teachers simply explaining, can pave the way for arguments and learning conversations.
One way of promoting a rich mathematical dialogue is to present pupils with a rumour to chew over. You could say: "I heard a rumour that the longer the arms of an angle, the bigger the angle."...