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FRACTIONS. THE KEY TO SUCCESS AT SCHOOL AND IN EVERYDAY LIFE. FACTS . Fractions, percentages and decimals are keystones for progress and success in: * Everyday life, e.g. VAT interest, profit, loss, tax, mark-up, etc.
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FRACTIONS THE KEY TO SUCCESS AT SCHOOL AND IN EVERYDAY LIFE
FACTS Fractions, percentages and decimals are keystones for progress and success in: * Everyday life, e.g. VAT interest, profit, loss, tax, mark-up, etc. • At school, e.g. Mathematics, Physical Science, Economics, Accounting, etc. • Small Business and Industry workplace. (Mechanics, Technicians, Entrepreneurs, etc.)
Daily newspaper and other reports leave no doubt as to: • The poor standard of education and mathematics in particular; • The desperate need for urgent intervention to improve the situation.
Excerpt from the report mentioned on previous page (pp 6 and 26): Table 26: Rank Order: Correct answers for test items Rank Grade 5 % 1 Counting 81.1 2 Arithmetic – simple 60.3 3 Shape recognition 43.7 4 Relationship betw. numbers 38.4 5 Sequence Completion 31.7 6 Arithmetic – complex 30.3 7 Table interpretation 26.0 8 Recognition of visual fractions25.4 9 Word sums 12.0 10 Rounding off 11.5 11 Conversions of length 5.6 12 Conversions of fractions3.8
Table 26: Rank Order: Correct answers for test items Rank Grade 7 % 1 Counting 95.4 2 Arithmetic – simple 74.7 3 Shape recognition 70.7 4 Relationships betw. numbers 66.0 5 Sequence Completion 58.1 6 Table interpretation 55.9 7 Recognition of visual fractions 52.9 8 Arithmetic – complex 47.9 9 Word sums 30.7 10 Rounding off 28.7 11 Conversions of length 11.6 12 Conversions of fractions 7.5
MORE FINDINGS FROM A HRSC SURVEY Findings by HSRC in 2004 (35 000 gr. 6 - learners): • Average 27% in Mathematics; • Available resources play an important role in performances; • 8 out of every 10 grade 6 learners cannot do sums; • Only 4 out of ten proficient in the language of instruction - Findingspainta darkpicture!!!!
THE ANSWER: FRACTION WIZZ • Fun for kids; • Practical and hands-on; • Concrete experience of abstract principles; • A teacher’s dream. • Learners learn and understand while they play.
Transparent lid for easy control: Could be used as “base” by same group. Units Slot for comparison Beads or beans to be used as counters Slot for comparison Unit slot Unit or “one” Halves Thirds Quar- Fifths Sixths Eighths Ninths Tenths ters Embedded onto the bottoms of the cups are the equivalent decimals, percentages and Braille configurations. Stickers for easier recognition
The unit cup measuring “one” in the slot Unit slot
Two halves add up to a “whole”/unit/one
Three thirds equal a “whole” (Fit into unit slot)
12 beads the “whole” in the unit cup (A third of twelve is four) Divide the 12 beads equally among the three thirds-cups. 1 3 of 12 = 4 FINDING FRACTIONAL PARTS OF QUANTITIES:
EQUIVALENCE: 1 2 3 6 =
USING EQUIVALENCE TO ADD OR SUBTRACT: 1 2 1 3 + 3 6 5 6 2 6 + =
IMPROPER FRACTIONS: 14 9 5 9 + = 1
IMPROPER FRACTIONS: 5 9 9 9 1 (= )
1 4 12 = 3 of
3 4 of 12 = 9
2 4 1 2 (or ) of 12 = 6
In short: • All basic principles can be practically experienced; • Abstract concepts concretized for better conceptualization; • The result: UNDERSTANDING!!!!
OTHER FEATURES • Ideal for group work (6 learners per group, 3 using base and 3 using lid to establish principles.) Each learner completes own workbook. • Only six or seven sets necessary per school. Transparent lid makes control easy. • Relevant fraction, decimal and percentage displayed on base of each piece. (Also the Braille configurations to aid blind learners.)
Each learner has a workbook leading them through the stages systematically. EASY TO USE GUIDE / WORKBOOK
MS. NALEDI PANDOR’S REPORTED COMMENTS ON MATHEMATICS: • Marks are higher when learners interact with teachers, when they work together and use educational material; • Teachers obviously need adequate resources, and where it’s not available, learners perform poorly; • Resources make a difference, emphasizing an education policy aimed at the poor.
COMMENTS FROM TEACHERS USING THE FRACTION WIZZ • “Invaluable, indispensable …..I cannot imagine teaching without it in future!” - Mr. Frans Massyn (Fichardtpark Primary School). • “As a result of the concrete, visual nature of this model, learners are mastering the skills and understanding of fractions much easier while having lots of fun.” - Ms. P. van Tonder (Eunice Primary School) • The Fraction Wizz … “will replace frustrating hours of battling to understand fractions with hours of fun.” - Prof. Deon de Beer (CUT)
THE BEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE ANYONE IS TO HELP HIM/HER TO ACQUIRE SKILLS.
CLOSING REMARK “IMPROVE PROFICIENCY IN FRACTIONS, AND VAST IMPROVEMENT IN THE LEVEL OF SCHOOL MATHEMATICS WILL FOLLOW.” - Mr. G G Kriel
MR. Kriel helping a blind learner at Barithmea School for the Deaf and Blind. (Front page article in a Free State Newspaper.)
Kindly visit our website at www.fractionwizz.co.za for more information.