Arithmetic and Its Teaching Methods in Basic School
Course code
MLM7501.DT
old course code
Course title in Estonian
Aritmeetika ja selle õpetamismetoodika põhikoolis
Course title in English
Arithmetic and Its Teaching Methods in Basic School
ECTS credits
6.0
Assessment form
Examination
lecturer of 2025/2026 Autumn semester
Mart Laanpere (language of instruction:Estonian)
lecturer of 2025/2026 Spring semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
Course aims
To develop the mathematical and subject didactics related competences required for teaching arithmetic in basic school.
Brief description of the course
Basic mathematics for basic school: Natural numbers and related concepts (prime numbers, multiples, divisibility, the first and second order theorem, the fundamental theorem of arithmetic). Integers, operations with integers. Rational numbers, operations with rational numbers. Irrational and real numbers, the absolute value of a real number. Raising a real number to a power and taking its root. Percentage calculation. Problems with grids, proportional and inverse relationships.
Mathematics teaching methodology: objectives of mathematics education in grades II and III related to the field of arithmetic, knowledge, skills and attitudes to be achieved by the end of the school year, and learning outcomes and content of mathematics education in grades II and III. Mathematical competence and supporting its development in the context of the field of arithmetic. Three mathematical processes: formulation, solving and interpretation. Teaching natural numbers. Numerical sense and its development. Number Talks methodology. The concept of a common fraction, its five meanings and teaching methodology. Teaching percentages. Teaching decimal fractions. Additive and multiplicative thinking. The trajectory of the development of proportional thinking. Students' solution strategies in proportional thinking tasks. The concept of a negative number and operations with rational numbers. Observation of mathematical concepts and relationships at four different levels: numerical, verbal, algebraic, visual. Mental calculations and different strategies.
Mathematics teaching methodology: objectives of mathematics education in grades II and III related to the field of arithmetic, knowledge, skills and attitudes to be achieved by the end of the school year, and learning outcomes and content of mathematics education in grades II and III. Mathematical competence and supporting its development in the context of the field of arithmetic. Three mathematical processes: formulation, solving and interpretation. Teaching natural numbers. Numerical sense and its development. Number Talks methodology. The concept of a common fraction, its five meanings and teaching methodology. Teaching percentages. Teaching decimal fractions. Additive and multiplicative thinking. The trajectory of the development of proportional thinking. Students' solution strategies in proportional thinking tasks. The concept of a negative number and operations with rational numbers. Observation of mathematical concepts and relationships at four different levels: numerical, verbal, algebraic, visual. Mental calculations and different strategies.
Learning outcomes in the course
Upon completing the course the student:
- explains the structure of the basic school mathematics curriculum in the area of arithmetic;
- applies the methodology for teaching arithmetic concepts included in the basic school mathematics curriculum and the methodology for solving problems;
- justifies the truth of the connections in the area of arithmetic included in the basic school mathematics curriculum;
- solves basic school arithmetic problems;
- notices, interprets and makes informed decisions based on students' understandings and errors related to arithmetic, applying the acquired subject and subject didactics knowledge and skills.
- explains the structure of the basic school mathematics curriculum in the area of arithmetic;
- applies the methodology for teaching arithmetic concepts included in the basic school mathematics curriculum and the methodology for solving problems;
- justifies the truth of the connections in the area of arithmetic included in the basic school mathematics curriculum;
- solves basic school arithmetic problems;
- notices, interprets and makes informed decisions based on students' understandings and errors related to arithmetic, applying the acquired subject and subject didactics knowledge and skills.
Teacher
Mart Laanpere