Teaching Mathematical Methods: Balancing Instruction and Exploration

This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, Emma Lindley-Thompson and John Jackson dive into a landmark study by Bethany Rittle-Johnson and Jon Star: Does comparing solution methods facilitate conceptual and procedural knowledge?

We explore:

• The premise of the study and how the researchers tested their hypothesis through equation-solving tasks.

• Key findings that shed light on the benefits and challenges of comparing solution methods.

• Where the responsibility lies—should the teacher or the curriculum initiate comparison-based learning?

• Whether and how teachers can balance direct instruction with opportunities for pupils to explore and compare independently.

• How we might adapt these findings for the primary classroom, ensuring comparisons support learning without overwhelming students.

This episode offers valuable insights for anyone teaching mathematics, developing curriculum, or interested in research-informed approaches to deepening conceptual understanding.

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