Searching for Better Ways to Teach Math in US (1/2)
A committee has released its final report on ways to improve math education for American students. President Bush created the National Mathematics Advisory Panel two years ago.
The panel examined thousands of reports, along with survey results from more than seven hundred algebra teachers. Yet the report, released last month, is short on detailed advice. It says existing research does not show just what knowledge or skills are needed for effective math teaching. The solution? More research.
The report does say basic math skills must be taught completely in the early years of school. Children should be able to add and subtract in the third grade. By the end of fifth grade, they should be able to multiply and divide. Teachers should avoid revisiting skills year after year. And, the experts say, it is wrong to think children are "too young" or "not ready" to learn certain content at certain ages.
The report says a major goal for kindergarten through eighth grade should be understanding fractions. These skills are needed for algebra. Yet, the report says, at the present time they seem to be severely underdeveloped in American students.
参考译文：
一个委员会发布了一份关于改进美国学生数学教育的最终报告。两年前，布什总统建立了全美数学顾问小组。
小组审查了数千份报告以及700多份对代数老师的调查结果。 但是，在上月发表的报告中缺少详细的建议。报告指出，现有的研究没有表明有效数学教育需要哪些知识或技能。解决的办法？（需要）进一步研究。
报告还表明在校教育初期就应该教授全部的基本数学技能。学生在三年级时应该会加和减。到五年级结束时，他们应该会乘和除。老师应避免年复一年的教授相同的技能。而且，专家说，认为儿童“太小”或“没准备好”学习特定年龄段的特定知识的想法是错误的。
报告指出，从初级学校到8年级教育的主要目的是让学生理解分数。这些技能都是学习代数所需的。然而，报告说，从现在看来，美国学生的这些技能相当低。
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