Unable to identify a shape

SR: Teach
when it is not in a standard
students to
position/when it is rotated**
recognize No 5:
shape, then Orientation &
mentally rotate Rotation of
the shape Shapes
Angles between
lines oriented SR: Teach
Exp: No 6: differently are not students to
Fail to identify examples mentally
Triangles have one point at the Perpendi so easily
of shapes that are not rotate
top and two points at the No 4: cular perceived as right
identical to their own perpendicular
SR: - Introduce the properties bottom Shape Lines angles.
Defining shapes Task: mental image of lines.
that define a shape. The bottom of a triangle is flat Proper
the shape
many imprecise visual Provide both examples ties
Foundation of this study : Van Hiele levels of geometric
qualities thought and non-examples
SR:
reference to visual Students
Two forms of classification of mathematical concepts Differentiate between classify Exp: Students are
prototypes was Task 5 : Class inclusion of shapes „larger turn‟ and a „larger Larger space
:Partition classification & hierarchical classification triangles based unable to identify a
common space‟ between the two means larger
Partition Classification : categorized into different parts on angles but right-angled triangle
lines making the angle. angles No 3: Angles SR: Teach students how
Misconception: identifying and naming shapes task No 7: Types of Triangle not sides. as a scalene
.
Task 4 : Defining shapes Hierarchical Classification : subsets & sets Angle is defined as "amount to identify triangles based
of turn" on sides and angles
Task 3 : Sorting of class inclusion of shapes Instruments used : Manipulatives and Questionnaires SR: Using a geoboard and
rubber bands, students can No 2: Conservation Students draw lines
Task 2 : sorting of shapes into 2 groups construct different rectangles of randomly to divide
Method : Given one set of questionnaire with 5 tasks varying No 8: Lines of Symmetry shapes Exp: Rectangle 4 lines
Task 1 : Identifying and naming shapes
Children's dimensions but with the same
perimeter and compare the
SR: a) Cut out shapes
b) ICT

Misconception
resulting areas.
Results : Students lacked vocabulary to distinguish shapes and
their attributes
Misconceptions No 9: 'A rectangle is a
long shape'..'A square is

Misconceptions
SR: Re- introduce
Article 1
Narrowed thinking
In Geometry In Geometry not a rectangle'
Sort all correctly + correct criterion / terminology = Van Hiele
Level 2 Article 2 Mathematical definition
of rectangle at proper
level

Sort into triangles and quadrilaterals: Van Hiele Level 0

Sorting shapes task: into triangles and quadrilaterals
Using: property of sides
Authors: Humphrey Uyouyo Atebe
and Marc Schafer
of Geometry SR: Exposure to
No 1: Identifying examples and
Only a few were able to use correct Identifying and naming the Base and
Height of a
No 10: A
rectangular
Regular
shapes like
non-examples of
polygons
Exploratory
Sort into distinct group of triangles and quadrilaterals & correct
criterion (number of sides): Van Hiele Level 1
terminology
Analytical shapes task Triangle shape is one that pentagon
'quadrilateral' = 4 equal sides is common described in
Method such a way
Exp: Use the bottom line as
Why didn't you measure Difficulty Understanding Non- Standard the base and the height not due to it
No 11: Language being used
the angle? Orientation SR: upwards from the base.
No 12: The diagonal all the time
Reason: 4 sides are Examine different types of triangles. Great difference at Exp: Different level of language SR: Explain using
of a square is the
Students either, lost, gained or equal = right angle Other properties to look at: Rhombus in Different Orientations -Turn their books to analyse shapes in same length as its
different level of
geometric thinking
between teacher and student, geometrical terms,
Students are aware of
case of spatial problems. side Geometrical terms wrongly
Van Hiele Level 1 thinking Angles
remained on the same level on The relationship between Base and interpreted due to improper the reasons to changes
the two tasks Name Shapes > Describe Properties Height: their relationship of being Visual misinterpretations introduction in terms, Association of
new terms with
of Shape perpendicular to each other.
upgraded diagrams
Mayberry's Claim (1983) Exp: Diagonal of square=lenght of sides
"Different Van Hiele's level on different concepts"
SR: Concrete shapes, Drawing NO 14: In Transformations Vertical or
SR: Mirror Image using
Describe properties of shapes by property of sides NOT angle Horizontal
mirror lines at different
properties Mirror line
slopes, Mirror lines placed
Sorting by class inclusion: to prohibit class inclusions in different positions,
Rotation at any point
Misconception: All shapes No 13: Using a protractor
those attempting to form sub classes of shapes did so partitionally with 4 equal sides are
Class inclusion Task: squares. (A rhombus has 4 Horizontal position,
equal sides) Due to: SR: Proper
perceiving a square to be excluded measure angles introduction to
the learners focus on only a single attribute right to left instrument &
from classes of rectangles and
rhombuses A square is not a rectangle language problems (spelling features,
Practice, proper
problems) use, formative
Many could not sort shapes into distinct classes conceptual assessment
Reason: "because all four sides of Could not state partitional misunderstanding (mostly)
the square are equal" difference even at visual level
Still not Van Hiele's Level 3 Use of imprecise geometrical terminology
Class "look like" type definition (Clements and Battista,1992)
exclusi
on Clements & Battista's List
(formin
g
distinct
classe
s of
triangle
s) was
easier