Introducing fractions in early childhood lays the foundation for mathematical reasoning and problem-solving. At this stage, children benefit from hands-on, visual, and experiential learning strategies that make abstract concepts concrete. Two widely used teaching models—the Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) Model and the Part-Whole Model—effectively support young learners in understanding fractions.
1. Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) Model
Overview: The CRA model is a three-step approach that helps children move from tangible experiences to symbolic understanding.
Concrete Stage: Children manipulate physical objects, such as fraction tiles, counters, or slices of fruit, to explore parts of a whole. For example, dividing an apple into halves or quarters allows children to physically see and touch fractional parts.
Representational Stage: Learners transition to drawings or pictorial representations. They might draw circles, bars, or shapes divided into sections to represent fractions they handled physically. This stage reinforces the connection between physical experience and visual representation.
Abstract Stage: Children work with numbers and symbols, such as ½ or ¾, without relying on physical objects. They solve problems using these symbolic fractions while still referring mentally to the concrete or pictorial experiences.
Benefits: CRA supports developmental progression, reinforces conceptual understanding, and reduces misconceptions. It encourages active engagement and bridges the gap between hands-on experience and numerical reasoning.
2. Part-Whole Model
Overview: The Part-Whole model emphasizes fractions as relationships between a part and its whole, helping children grasp the fundamental concept that a fraction represents a portion of a set or object.
Implementation: Teachers use manipulatives, such as pizzas, chocolate bars, or paper shapes, and guide children in dividing these into equal parts. Children then identify how many parts make up the whole and which fraction each part represents. For example, cutting a rectangle into four equal sections and coloring one section helps children understand that one-fourth of the rectangle is colored.
Extension: The model can be applied to sets of objects, such as dividing 12 blocks into 3 equal groups to show that each group represents one-third. Visual cues like shaded areas or labeled segments reinforce understanding.
Benefits: The Part-Whole model emphasizes fairness, equality, and proportional reasoning. It encourages children to visualize fractions as measurable parts and lays the groundwork for operations with fractions in later grades.
Conclusion
Early childhood educators can use the CRA and Part-Whole teaching models to introduce fractions in a developmentally appropriate, hands-on way. Both models make abstract concepts tangible, foster conceptual understanding, and encourage exploration through play and visualization. Using manipulatives, drawings, and real-life examples helps children develop a strong foundation for future mathematical learning and reasoning.