Open Lecture: 'Re-thinking the role of abstraction in primary schools: Teaching algebra to young children'

This presentation reports on a project which offers a novel teaching, learning and research tool, against the backdrop of growing interest in East Asian-inspired "bar models" for maths teaching in England. One assumption behind the work is that abstract thinking is accessible for school-age children. As part of the project, I have created a research-informed, interactive, manipulable, intuitive digital version of Cuisenaire rods, which allows the exploration of algebraic ideas with young children. In keeping with the ideas of Gattegno and Davydov, this software seeks to methodically introduce pupils to simple algebraic structures through gradual interactions with virtual rods, emphasizing abstract thinking from the outset of education. This study application differs from earlier ones in that it seeks to develop a basic understanding of how children engage with algebraic principles prior to discovering numerical operations, in line with research on the significance of early algebraic thinking. I will report on the background thinking to the software, the design approach and give participants an opportunity to engage in the software for themselves.

Places are limited. You must book your place in this lecture.

Dr Santiago Palmas Perez specialises in Mathematics Education at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM) Unidad Lerma in Mexico. He is focused on teaching marginalised groups and transforming the educational landscape for diverse learners. Dr Palmas Perez will be working with Professor Alf Coles in the School of Education on the project Developing Early Algebra.

Dr Palmas Perez's web profile page