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Introducing negative numbers

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  • Espresso
  • Introducing negative numbers
  • Espresso
  • 42: Division and multiplication
  • 41: Rich data sets
  • 40: Fraction equivalence
  • 39: Teaching and learning similarity
  • 38: Teaching and learning of percentage
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12 December 2018

Infographic showing Strategies for teaching multiplication of negative numbers

What does research suggest about effective ways to introduce negative numbers?

  • The idea of negative numbers may feel odd and counterintuitive to students
  • Students need to have a perception of number as both counting and measurement, as preparation for learning about negative numbers
  • An early focus on subtraction and multiple concepts of zero is important
  • Acknowledging negative numbers when teaching subtraction may be effective, but waiting until students have a sense of the structure of number systems to explore them more fully is suggested
  • Students may be confused between negative numbers, decimals and fractions 
  • Teachers should carefully consider their language around negative numbers, especially the use of the words ‘minus’ and ‘negative’ 
  • There are many useful models and metaphors for teaching negative numbers, but no one is totally representative on its own and all have limitations
  • Students should understand the minus sign in at least three senses: unary, binary and symmetric

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