Maths: Common misconceptions
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Mathematical misconceptions are tricksy little things; they often sit and fester for a long while before we realise children have a fundamental misunderstanding of a concept. They usually appear because suddenly children are accessing more complex application of their known maths concepts or experiences. The EEF report Improving Mathematics at Key Stages 2 & 3 suggests we tackle misconceptions head-on, and should exploit them as formative assessment opportunities to help pupils “develop richer and more robust conceptions”.

Misconceptions are usually based in the misapplication of currently known concepts, over-generalising from simpler examples they have previously met, or ‘short-cuts’ that cause confusion, but they can also be caused by:
- A task that is simply too difficult.
- A task that is not presented in an appropriate way.
- Not understanding the mathematics that is needed or the language used.
- Not interpreting a task correctly.
General approaches to misconceptions
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Published 16 May 2022
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