Structural approach in teaching as foundation for sustainable arithmetic learning - SATSA

In this project we direct attention to how teaching with a structural approach to 6-yearolds facilitates conceptual growth of number concept and arithmetic skills. The object of our inquiry is teaching, that is how interaction towards a certain content promotes learning.

The aim of the planned project is thereby to characterize what makes the learning outcomes from a structural approach sustainable and developable.

The specific research questions to be answered are:RQ1: What foundation for further learning arithmetic is provided in preschool class mathematics education?RQ2: To what extent is it possible to enhance pupils’ number knowledge and arithmetic skills as to be sustainable, through teaching with a structural approach?RQ3: What are critical features for prosperous arithmetic skills development in the structural approach to teaching?In the planned project we will conduct observations of teaching practices in 100 Swedish preschool classes.

In 30 of them, we will implement a structural approach to teaching number concepts and arithmetic strategies following two intervention programs proven to be successful.

Analyses of the assessments of pupils’ developing number knowledge and the affordances in the intervention programs give us a deeper insights to the core features of a structural approach in teaching and empirically reveal to what extent and on what groundings the approach facilitates successful arithmetic development.