Abstract
This literature review examines calculators in the primary school classroom in light of their recent
prohibition for younger children in England.
Contrary to political fears about calculators being
harmful, the existing literature indicates that calculators have many benefits: they can develop
conceptual understanding, support and improve mental and written methods, be a stimulus for
dialogic talk, provide instant feedback and help to develop key mathematical ideas such as ‘number
sense’. The ingrained nature of teacher attitudes, in particular relation to what skills they believe an
effective mathematician requires, is explored and a link made between such attitudes and the
potential use of calculators. Greater clarity is needed regarding what fundamental mathematical
understanding actually entails and a long-term strategy needs to be in place in order for pre-service
teachers’ underlying beliefs to change.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 74-86 |
Journal | Teacher Education Advancement Network Journal |
Volume | 7 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 31 Jul 2015 |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 31 Jul 2015 |