Abstract

The study investigated the use of multiple representations in the teaching and learning of whole number multiplication in standard six. The study was conducted in two primary schools of Dedza district. Standard six students and mathematics teachers for this class were involved. Three standard six mathematics teachers and a total of 213 students were involved in pre-test and post-test and16 of them were selected for interviews. The study used Ball’s mathematical knowledge for teaching (Ball, Thames & Phelps, 2008), in particular specialised content knowledge and Skemp’s instrumental and relational forms of understanding mathematics (Skemp, 1976), as the conceptual framework. Data was collected through questionnaires, pre-test, post-test, lesson observation and interviews. Upon analysis of data, the study found out that:(i) teachers perceive that using multiple representations in the teaching and learning of mathematics concepts is very important;(ii) repeated addition, array representation and long multiplication are some of the representations that are commonly used in the teaching and learning of whole number multiplication; (iii) teachers have broad knowledge of the multiple representations which are used to multiply single digit numbers but they have limited knowledge of the multiple representations that are used in multiplying multi-digit numbers. The study has also revealed that multiple representations are used in teaching and learning of whole number multiplication by connecting skills and ideas from one concept to another.

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School	: School of Education
Issued Date	: 2019

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