Product Description

This practical guide to children's common errors and misconceptions in mathematics is ideal for anyone training to teach 4-11 year old children and keen to gain a deeper understanding of the difficulties children encounter during their mathematical development. The book is structured around National Curriculum Attainment Targets, and deals with individual misconceptions, in each case providing a description of the error, and an explanation of why the error happens.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2069 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 186 pages

Review
Children's Errors in Mathematics is a very neat idea. It deals with the most common misconceptions in primary-age children and shows how they can be dealt with. The authors have hit on a refreshing idea: not how children learn, but how they learn the wrong things. The book starts with a fascinating overview of the literature on how children learn maths - and conversely, how easily they often construct their own misplaced knowledge and understanding. As the book so helpfully reminds us, 'we should not see mathematics as something taught, but rather something that is learnt'. The book ranges through common false constructs. There are scores of examples, such as why some children may think that one object out of four makes up a third of the total. The authors talk about why common errors are made and what can be done to pre-empt them in one's lesson planning. This is a highly-readable and useful book that could be of equal value to teachers and parents. In working out why things aren't, we often make clear the reasons why things are. --The Times Educational Supplement, 23rd September 2005

Outstanding. All the errors that are listed are so real. I have seen them during my career so many times. --Lecturer, University of Huddersfield

This is the best book I have found on errors. It provides comprehensive coverage of mathematics topics. --Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire

Senior Lecturer in Primary Education, University of Huddersfield.
"Outstanding. All the errors that are listed are so real. I have seen them during my career so many times."

Principal Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire
"This is the best book I have found on errors. It provides comprehensive coverage of mathematics topics."

Customer Reviews

A must have for teachers and parents
This book will definately help with planning - a must have, especially for trainee teachers.
It's really easy to read so you don't find yourself switiching off. It's not a book you should read cover-to-cover (if you should ever have the time to!), instead, read the section relevant to what you're about to teach. It gives you a good idea of the errors that may come up and why.
The book gives examples of misconceptions and this is useful to see if the kids really understand what they are doing. I sometimes put these examples on the board and ask the kids to mark them - this is useful for them to understand where they're going wrong or could go wrong.
Also, it shows you the progression, linked to the NNS so you can see where they came from and where they should be moving to.
This, along with Shirley Clarke books, are definately the best books that I bought during my teacher training - money well spent.
If you're not a trainee or an NQT this is still v. useful to have on your shelf - if only to dip into everytime you teach a new unit.

Wish I had bought it earlier!
I've just bought this book and I really wish that I had it last year when I was training to be a teacher. If I'd had it as a student I would have been able to answer my "Misconceptions in Maths" assignment a lot better! I KNOW that this is really going to help me teach maths in a more informed way. I have already used it to look up things that I'm teaching this term and I have used it to help with my planning. I'm also ashamed to say that it has helped me with my own understanding of maths because it explains why the errors happen!