Sixth Blog

Division

Learning division for many students can be challenging, multiplication, like addition seems to be a bit easier to grasp for many children.  There is even something a little intimidating about the word division, it is a rather large word for students to process.  It is important then to explain the meaning of the word to students and to be sure they understand prior to teaching children how to divide.


Teachers can help students make connections with the word division by making up word problems and asking students questions.  If you were to ask a student a question they could relate to, it might help them to better understand division.  An example might be, "If you and your brother had a box of 10 mini donuts, how many donuts would you each get?"  I bet if you actually had a box of donuts kids would easily be able to divide them equally.  Though for some reason on paper it is difficult for students.  When you use numbers that do not divide equally, that is really a challenge for students.


Teachers and parents could help students with division if they use manipulatives and hands on activities so it makes more sense for students.  Make it fun for kids, teachers also have to have a good attitude even when students are frustrated.  Start with easier division problems so that students will gain more confidence when doing math.  Remind students that practice is the key to success.





Some ideas on teaching elementary school students about division.

• Use manipulatives, like cubes or jelly beans.
• Have students draw large circles for the numbers they are dividing by, then put a tally mark or an x in each circle for the number they are dividing.
•  Remind students that division is reversed multiplication.
•  Have students divide the class into different numbers of teams to practice division, then they get to get up and move around their room a bit.
• Teach students different algorithms.
• Partial Quotient algorithm
• Column division
• Long division

Some helpful websites for division.

http://www.ehow.com/list_7239401_division-math-strategies-kids.html

http://fivejs.com/math-strategies-multiplication-division-video-tutorial/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icidesQM6Rw
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/long-division/long-division-lesson-1.html

http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/number-families-multiply-divide.html



Fun games
http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/math_division_games.html

http://www.ezschool.com/Games/FactFamily2.html

http://www.kidsnumbers.com/division.php
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/division.htm