“Why are nonstandard units often used as initial tools for linear measurement?” I asked my preservice elementary school teachers during a Methods of Teaching Mathematics lesson. Not surprisingly, most proposed that nonstandard units are used to show a need for standard units, without mentioning that they could be used for building conceptual understanding in linear measurement. This is in line with the perspectives of some in-service teachers with whom I exchanged ideas on measurement concepts both in the United States and in Turkey, where I taught the methods course. Developing students’ in-depth understanding of linear measurement in the early grades by using nonstandard units does not seem to be a priority for teachers. Textbook series that many U.S. elementary school teachers use also lack a focus on the concepts underlying length measurement (Dietiker, Gonulates, and Smith III 2011). In contrast, the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) suggests that instruction should focus on the meaning and processes of measurement (CCSSI 2010). In particular, first- and second-grade measurement and data standards focus on unit iteration and transitivity in length measurement.
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