The Test And Analysis Of Elementary Students' Relational Thinking

This paper aims to survey the method that elementary students useto solve equation questions such as 23 + 15 = 26 +□, with the purpose ofanalyzing their way of thinking. It is found that students use two ways: one is purearithmetic calculation, and the other focuses on the whole equation and therelationship between digitals. We regard the latter one as relational thinking whosecore is to recognize and make use of the"relationship"as well as to achieveunderstanding of the meaning of"equal sign"——representation of relation.Therefore, it is closely related to algebraic thinking.In many studies about students'algebra learning of recent years, it is foundthat the vast majority of students fell very difficult to learn algebra in the middleschool, and this will lead to the difficulties in math learning. Under this context,many education researchers promote the "early algebra" program, that is to say,they will deliberately cultivate students'algebraic thinking at primary mathematiclearning stage.Based on the above background, as well as the characteristics of relationalthinking and its relationship with the algebraic thinking, we use Max Stephens'squestionnaire to do an investigation into 200 elementary students in Chengdu. Wewill try to analyze the condition of students'relational thinking and find outwhether our students have the same problems as foreign students have in thatthinking. In this study, we will gather data from literature review, questionnaires and interviews analysis. After our research and analysis, we can get the following main conclusions: relational thinking of elementary students could not develop with their age; students'limited understanding of "equal sign" is very prevalent; compared with algebraic approach, students are more willing to use arithmetic means. All these illustrate that at the primary school stage, students'algebraic thinking, particularly, the relational thinking does not receive due attention and development in the arithmetic environment. These results are consistent with opinions of previous researchers, such as Max Stephens and Jodie Hunter.Based on the above findings, this article puts forward several suggestions to the actual teaching. That is, teachers should recognize the importance and necessity of infiltrating algebraic thinking at the primary stage. And they should assist students to recognize the potential importance of algebra in the actual teaching, which will help students adapt more quickly when they study algebra in the formal time.Through this study, we see the different treatment of problems caused by the cultural difference between East and West, and learn to look at the same problem from different angles. The most important thing is we experience a real process of the study. Therefore, compared with the conclusions obtained, the learning and experience in the process of the study may be more memorable and should be cherished more!...