Order+of+Operations



I often wondered why 6th and 7th grade students have difficulty applying the order of operations in mathematics. I have heard many math teachers say, "If my students would just use or remember the mnemonic device Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally or PEMDAS, then they could do any order of operations problems." Unfortunately, to many 6th and 7th graders this and other such mnemonic devices are meaningless; therefore the rules for the procedure are often forgotten or misapplied. Metacognative strategies are methods design to help students problem solve or more simply stated, "think about thinking." One metacognative method useful to enhance mathematical instruction in the order of operations is the Frayer Model. A Frayer Model is a graphic organizer where students define, describe the characteristics, and provide examples and non-examples of the topic. The metacognative aspect of this organizer is augmented when teacher is a facilitator in the process. A pyramid chart is excellent as a graphic organizer to illustrate the hierarchy involved in solving a problem using order of operations. To simply illustrate the process of the order of operation, the graphic organizer known as a flow chart is a visual aid acceptable for this purpose. I have found using this graphic organizer, and it enhancing it with students' pictorial representations very helpful to students with learning disabilities.

Links for a Frayer Model: [|Frayer Model]

[|How to use the Frayer Model In Math]

Link for pyramid chart: [|Making a Pyramid Chart]

[|Flow Chart Templates]