HOW CHILDREN LEARN DECIMALS

Literature Review: How Children Learn Decimals

Kate Pagano

HOW CHILDREN LEARN DECIMALS

The word decimal comes from the Latin word decem, which
means ten and explains why we refer to decimals as fractions whose
denominator has been converted into a power of 10 (Bassarear, 2008).
Like every other concept in mathematics, decimals are numbers seen
through real life associations everyday.
Unfortunately, Caswells experiences as a classroom teacher has
brought her to the conclusion that despite the evidence of decimals in
real life and the frequent use of decimals in written and spoken form,
students do not translate this background knowledge across to
abstract contexts in the classroom (Caswell, 2006). Not only do most
children not translate this background but also they often times overgeneralize a prior concept to create their own strategy to deal with
decimal numbers (Moody, 2011). According to Moody, some
misconceptions children seem to have are that longer is larger or the
opposite shorter is larger based on what they have previously
learned. Caswell, Cramer and Moody all agree that the skills children
need to gain the actual and basic understanding of decimals connects
deeply with the ways in which they interact with concrete materials.
Children learn best when they are physically able to touch and play
around with materials. This literature review will help explain how
children learn decimals through different physical interactions with
concrete materials and how these techniques pave the way for further
comprehension.

HOW CHILDREN LEARN DECIMALS

Caswell, a classroom teacher, starts her students off that are

beginning to learn decimals with tangible materials. Students learn
decimals as fractions, parts of a whole, by using play-dough (Caswell,
2006). Students then divide their play-dough into two equal amounts
and place one section aside and then take the other section and divide
it into ten equal parts. Caswell then discusses how important it is to
now establish the language of decimal notation as tenths and
hundredths. Students will now learn that 4.3 will read four and three
tenths. After establishing the language to match the concrete
representations and the written notation, Caswell talks about students
being given a written notation (for example the number 1.8) and being
able to create the decimal values by using their play-dough to match
the written notation. After students master the tenths, Caswell goes
into describing how students are challenged to predict what
hundredths and thousandths could be formed using their play-dough.
Caswell also discusses the impact of zero in a decimal number.
Zero is a difficult number for children to comprehend, so instead of
having her students use play-dough she has them use numerical cards
and they are asked to order the cards to demonstrate their
understanding of decimal notation. Beginning with concrete materials
extends the students knowledge to be able to work with pictorial and
numerical models.

HOW CHILDREN LEARN DECIMALS

Moody (2011) contends that students gain conceptual knowledge

of decimals by using, Decipipes, which are representational models,
conceptually identical to Linear Arithmetic Blocks. Moody begins his
article by talking about misconceptions students have of the decimal
point. His main theme revolves around children overcoming these
student-invented strategies of misconceptions with the use of
Decipipes equipment. Moody believes that concrete examples, such as
his Decipipes, create opportunities for mathematical discussion to build
upon existing knowledge.
Moody (2011) talks about how using a long piece of hollow blue
tubing represents a length of one unit, with smaller pieces representing
either tenths or hundredths. For example, a note card reading 1.7
students would use one blue hollow tube add a red solid tube (the red
solid tube is non-representational) and then add seven tenths
(smaller pieces, each tenth separated by red solid tubing). Moody
discusses how using a concrete material is beneficial to students in
learning how to represent how decimals are used. Once students have
started to make sense of how to use decimal notations they are
provided with other situations to work with so that the initial
understanding does not remain dependent upon one tool (Moody,
2011).
Cramer (2009) claims that appropriate concrete and pictorial
models allow students to construct meaning for rational numbers and

HOW CHILDREN LEARN DECIMALS

operations with numbers. Paper 10x10 grids can be used as a concrete

material in the classroom by cutting out different paper units that allow
students to play around with decimal amounts. Students again get to
physically be involved in the process of either shading in or covering
parts to represent the amount. Students will eventually make a
connection that covering half of the 10x10 grid gets you to a fraction
or a decimal 0.5. Using 10x10 grids visually reinforces students
knowledge of 10ths and 100ths. They are able to create strong mental
images that build meaning for these numbers, judge the relative sizes
of decimals, and understand decimal equivalence (Cramer, 2009). The
10x10 grid not only encourages children to get physically involved but
also to verbalize what they are recording.
Caswell, Cramer and Moody all agree that once children gain the
actual and basic understanding of abstract decimal concepts it is
easier to link these developments to real life. Students first learn from
using concrete materials then pictorial and numerical examples, which
broaden their language to understand how decimals are used in real
life forms of money, gas and measurements. By learning the difference
between everyday language and decimal language, students are
gaining awareness of the use of decimals and the variations in
language use and are able to recognize the decimal fraction as both an
everyday term and a mathematical value (Caswell, 2006). Once these

HOW CHILDREN LEARN DECIMALS

concepts are learned students should naturally transition to using

decimals anywhere they need in life.
Decimals are a difficult concept to comprehend for the first time,
which is why it is so important that we study and explore how children
learn. Just like any concept in math it is important that we continue to
stimulate and encourage children by using the right manipulative
materials to help them gain an easier understanding. The only way for
students to gain true comprehension is by slowly exploring and
gradually learning different ways to represent decimals until the
process is fully understood.

References

Bassarear, T. (2008). Extending the Number System. In Mathematics

for Elementary
School Teachers (4th ed., pp. 308-336). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Caswell, R. (2006). Developing Decimal Sense. APMC, 11(4), 25-28.

HOW CHILDREN LEARN DECIMALS

Cramer, K., Monson, D., Wyberg, T., Leavitt, S., & Whitney, S. (2009).
Models for
Initial Decimal Ideas. Teaching Children Mathematics, 106-117.
Moody, B. (2011). Decipies: Helping Students to "Get The Point" APMC,
16(1), 10-15.