The Student Room Group

Introduce basic algebra at seven, argues study

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22892927

What do people think of this? Is it a guaranteed catch-up to other countries' standards? Or a recipe for disaster?

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Original post by YThursday
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22892927

What do people think of this? Is it a guaranteed catch-up to other countries' standards? Or a recipe for disaster?


Children who are 7 years old should be able to do basic algebra such as 'c x 4 = 36. What is c?'. It's not hard. I don't think it will automatically solve our problems with education though; that will take an age so long as the likes of Gove are lurking in the background.
(edited 10 years ago)
It is an excellent idea, what is the difference between algebra and arithmetic anyway, it would be introduced sensibly, I am sure of that. In a way it is already done with young children anyway, with blocks, and scales etc. Young kids are more receptive to new ideas anyway.
Why not.
Reply 4
I was thinking about this the other day, I learnt algebra in year 6 and 7, and it was a struggle. I now do A-level maths and I feel like I could have solved more complex algebra had I started earlier.
Reply 5
Original post by YThursday
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22892927

What do people think of this? Is it a guaranteed catch-up to other countries' standards? Or a recipe for disaster?


well in primary school maths there is the whole 7+?=10 but people seem to get hung up on changing the '?' to 'x'... so without realising it, 7 year olds are already doing basic algebra...
Reply 6
Excellent idea, primary education in this country is pathetic.
Reply 7
The trouble with Primary School Mathematics is that it treats all students the same

They are not the same

As a consequence, children who have great difficulty in moving from concrete understanding to abstract are introduced to maths that they can not understand far to early ... this creates a feeling that maths is difficult and it forces failure

Instead, some children should spend FAR more time learning the basics

How can they talk about algebra for all 7 yr olds when some children begin secondary school not

knowing their number bonds to 10

knowing their times tables

understanding what a half or a third actually means

being able to tell the time

knowing their left/right or clock/anticlockwise

unable to count forward or backwards in 10s

realising what a decimal is even when working with money



amongst other things

Original post by mulac1
...


You disagree mulac?
Perhaps you think that introducing algebra to these children will help them to count, add up, do basic subtraction, etc
Could you explain how?
(edited 10 years ago)
Completely support this. It's about time kids learned more of the 'proper' subjects. Keep to the core. English, Maths, History, Geography etc.
Original post by YThursday
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22892927

What do people think of this? Is it a guaranteed catch-up to other countries' standards? Or a recipe for disaster?


The government should instead start teaching people life skills at an early age like critical thinking. I have yet to go into a store and ask for my 4A + 6B change.
Original post by YThursday
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22892927

What do people think of this? Is it a guaranteed catch-up to other countries' standards? Or a recipe for disaster?


It's fine, maybe the top of the class can start when they are 7 and it can be introduced to those weaker in maths at 9-10. Simple Algebra such as X+5 = 10 can be taught in primary school.
Reply 11
Original post by Design_Me_A_Tom
The government should instead start teaching people life skills at an early age like critical thinking. I have yet to go into a store and ask for my 4A + 6B change.


I'm pretty sure people do use Maths like that in a store. Its not exactly rocket science.
Reply 12
Original post by Design_Me_A_Tom
The government should instead start teaching people life skills at an early age like critical thinking. I have yet to go into a store and ask for my 4A + 6B change.


Well I am guessing you have never bought 4 apples for A pound and 6 bananas for B pound and paid with a 8A + 12B pound note.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by TenOfThem
The trouble with Primary School Mathematics is that it treats all students the same

They are not the same

As a consequence, children who have great difficulty in moving from concrete understanding to abstract are introduced to maths that they can not understand far to early ... this creates a feeling that maths is difficult and it forces failure

Instead, some children should spend FAR more time learning the basics

How can they talk about algebra for all 7 yr olds when some children begin secondary school not

knowing their number bonds to 10

knowing their times tables

understanding what a half or a third actually means

being able to tell the time

knowing their left/right or clock/anticlockwise

unable to count forward or backwards in 10s

realising what a decimal is even when working with money



amongst other things


Surely the top of the class should be able to learn new things? I believe that I would've coped with the majority of KS3 maths in Years 5-6. Maybe I would've struggled with some topics, but I don't believe that I would've found it impossible.
Reply 14
Original post by TenOfThem
The trouble with Primary School Mathematics is that it treats all students the same

They are not the same

As a consequence, children who have great difficulty in moving from concrete understanding to abstract are introduced to maths that they can not understand far to early ... this creates a feeling that maths is difficult and it forces failure

Instead, some children should spend FAR more time learning the basics

How can they talk about algebra for all 7 yr olds when some children begin secondary school not

knowing their number bonds to 10

knowing their times tables

understanding what a half or a third actually means

being able to tell the time

knowing their left/right or clock/anticlockwise

unable to count forward or backwards in 10s

realising what a decimal is even when working with money



amongst other things


What are number bonds to 10?

Original post by Design_Me_A_Tom
The government should instead start teaching people life skills at an early age like critical thinking. I have yet to go into a store and ask for my 4A + 6B change.


Decent level maths is closer to critical thinking than almost anything else.

Edit: To OP, some students can easily manage algebra at that age. Whether it's possible to actually bring it in to the general curriculum, I couldn't say..
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 15
Original post by Slumpy
What are number bonds to 10?



Decent level maths is closer to critical thinking than almost anything else.

Edit: To OP, some students can easily manage algebra at that age. Whether it's possible to actually bring it in to the general curriculum, I couldn't say..


What do you mean? I had to change that as it didn't make complete sense.
Original post by ThatPerson
Surely the top of the class should be able to learn new things?


I do not suggest otherwise, did you read the first line of my post?
Original post by Slumpy
What are number bonds to 10?




Knowing the numbers that bond to make 10

1, 9
2, 8
3, 7
4, 6
5, 5
Original post by Slumpy


Decent level maths is closer to critical thinking than almost anything else.



Okay, you are somewhat right but I have doubts about this. On one hand it is like critical thinking skills as maths requires logical thinking, however math does not help you work out if something is propaganda or how to see if someones arguments are flawed. Like how would knowing how to do math help you work out if religion is bullsht or not.
Reply 19
I think it's a good idea. Particularly because the mysterious and untouched topics of 'algebra' and 'calculus' seemed like the promised lands of maths, and for me at least I would have been much more interested and engaged in learning maths.

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