Can Minimal Support for Teachers Make a Difference to Students’ Understanding of Decimals?

Abstract

This study investigated whether new teaching resources and minimal support could help teachers make a difference to children’s understanding of decimal numeration. Three schools were offered resources and a professional development session specifically to address the common misconceptions children have about decimal numbers. One school agreed to participate, and four teachers were supplied with the resources. Use of the resources was unexpectedly low, but teachers who used them achieved an educationally and statistically significant improvement in decimal understanding, indicating that a small amount of deliberate attention to decimal concepts can make a difference.