An Investigation Of Arithmetic Literacy In Lower Elementary School Students

Operational literacy is an important element in the development of core literacy in mathematics at the elementary level and an important way to promote students’ overall development.For students in the early elementary grades,mathematical literacy is crucial,and it is a cross-cutting aspect of students’ mathematical learning.Therefore,this paper uses questionnaire and interview methods to investigate and study the development of arithmetic literacy of lower elementary school students,answer the research questions on arithmetic literacy of lower elementary school students,and put forward corresponding strategies and suggestions for the development of arithmetic literacy of lower elementary school students.The findings of the study are as follows:First,students’ arithmetic literacy development in the lower elementary grades is generally at a moderate to low level.The first and second grades showed different characteristics.Teachers believe that students in the early elementary grades are at the primary stage of number understanding,students in the early elementary grades are not yet proficient in using arithmetic principles,and students in the early elementary grades have poor arithmetic habits.Secondly,the development of arithmetic literacy in the lower elementary grades has the following problems: students have not formed good arithmetic habits,students’ weak understanding of algorithmic arithmetic,students’ low interest in arithmetic,and teachers’ single form of evaluation of students’ arithmetic teaching.Third,the factors that affect the development of arithmetic literacy of students in lower elementary school are at the teacher and student levels,among which,the teacher-level causes mainly come from teachers’ incomplete interpretation of the connotation of arithmetic ability,lack of creativity in designing exercises,limitations in guiding students,and inappropriate feedback on student evaluation.The reasons at the student level are mainly due to the unstable formation of early number sense and weak symbolic awareness.Based on the results of the investigation and research on the arithmetic literacy of lower elementary school students,the study proposes to cultivate students’ habits and awareness of mathematical operations,cultivate students’ awareness of mathematical symbols,analyze the causes of calculation errors,and help students understand arithmetic algorithms with lifelike teaching,aiming to provide references for the cultivation and development of arithmetic literacy of lower elementary school students.