Introduction to fractions

$Infographic showing how fractions are a set of intertwined constructs$

What does research suggest about effective ways to introduce fractions?

Seeing fractions as a set of interrelated concepts encompassing both dividing and measuring may help students to understand them
Considering fractions as abstract and composite ideas can help extend students’ understanding from natural numbers to real numbers
Early understanding of fractions is supported by work in equipartitioning (fair sharing) which forms part of the idea of division and may help support counting development
It is important to focus on one half as a key mathematical idea and to recognise that sharing in even quantities is usually found to be easier; circle models are particularly difficult
The number line is a key representation for developing understanding of fractions, but multiple representations are important
Exploring ideas of unitising (grouping) and norming (naming the reference unit) is an important part of understanding fractions
Students should have opportunities to see fractions as relative amounts and as abstract ideas manifesting in different but equivalent ways