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Children 'should be taught symbolic arithmetic'

Posted on 31st May 2007

Numeracy levels could be improved by teaching "symbolic arithmetic", which involves dealing with large numbers but with approximate answers.

New research from Harvard University found that illustrated problems involving objects numbering between five and 98 could instil a sense of addition and subtraction, with children being asked to tell the difference between large numbers.

Although children aged five are unlikely to be able to add and subtract large numbers with precision, they do have a sense of symbolic addition and subtraction, which should be encouraged, the researchers said - reported by Nature magazine.

Elizabeth Spelke, one of the scientists behind the research, commented: "We've known for some time that adults, children and even infants and nonhuman animals have a sense of number.

"We were surprised to see, however, that children spontaneously use their number sense when they're presented with problems in symbolic arithmetic," she concluded.

Recently, the Professional Association of Teachers welcomed a numeracy drive announced by Gordon Brown.