Identification of Multiplicative Thinking in Children in Grades 1-5

Textbooks present multiplication as merely a faster way of doing repeated addition. However, research has shown that multiplication requires higher-order multiplicative thinking, which the child develops out of addition. Three hundred thirty-six children in grades 1-5 were interviewed individually using a Piagetian task to study their development from additive to multiplicative thinking. Multiplicative thinking was found to appear early (45% of second graders demonstrated some multiplicative thinking) and to develop slowly (only 48% of fifth graders demonstrated consistently solid multiplicative thinking). It was concluded that the introduction of multiplication in second grade is appropriate but that educators must not expect all children to use multiplication, even in fifth grade.