KNOWLEDGE OF FLEXIBLE MENTAL COMPUTATION OF PRE-SERVICE ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS TEACHERS UPON ENTRY TO UNIVERSITY

This study sets out to determine the knowledge of flexible mental computation pre-service elementary mathematics teachers when enrolling at university. Knowledge existing skills could inform teacher educators’ preparation for teaching by determining algorithms that are unable calculate. Such also educators as why calculate algorithms. The produced a domain-specific instrument in form diagnostic test adopt their elicit teachers’ knowledge, gap this aims bridge. A comprising 21 items was administered researcher 51 year-one who agreed participate study. Findings indicate majority participated have limited understanding magnitude numbers, basic number facts, relationship between numbers and operations flexibly. argument is instruction would be relevant successful if focused on cognitive needs mathematical concepts they going teach. Therefore, recommends establish prior relevance success teaching.