Meanings Expressed by Primary Schoolchildren When Solving a Partitioning Task

Abstract

This study entailed an in-depth exploration of the meanings identified by a group of 105 fourth year primary schoolchildren when solving a task involving partitioning. The research was based on a semantic triangle consisting of a conceptual structure, representation systems, and sense. The content of children’s answers was analysed qualitatively. One of the most prominent findings was that purposes or usages were recognised based on multiple strategies, new categories of which, not envisaged in earlier research, were defined. Most of the students deployed graphic, verbal, and numerical representation and established relationships among them. Concepts such as the part-whole relationship and fractioning appeared in their description of conceptual structure, although errors were detected in terms of inequities and confusion between numerator and denominator.

Keywords

• partitioning
• distribution
• semantic triangle
• primary education
• representation
• strategies