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Ian Jones
Ian
Jones
Matthew Inglis
Matthew
Inglis
Camilla Gilmore
Camilla
Gilmore
Rhys Evans
Rhys
Evans
Teaching the substitutive conception of the equals sign
Loughborough University
2013
untagged
2013-06-20 08:46:55
Journal contribution
https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Teaching_the_substitutive_conception_of_the_equals_sign/9370565
A cumulative body of research has shown that children typically shift from an operational to a relational conception of the equals sign as they move through schooling. Jones (2008) argued that a truly relational conception of the equals sign comprises a substitutive component and a sameness component. Here we present two studies that build on this argument. The first investigated how the equals sign is typically presented to primary children in England, and we report that in the main an operational conception seems to be promoted. The second study measured the impact of a specially designed intervention on early secondary children's conceptions of the equals sign. Pre- and post-test data revealed that the intervention promoted substitutive and sameness components of symbolic equivalence. We consider the theoretical and pedagogical implications of the results.