Multimodal functioning in understanding fractions

Examined responses to 4 problems involving common fractions for ikonic mode processes and their relationship to concrete symbolic mode development. Results from interviews with 42 children from kindergarten to Grade 10 and surveys of 98 Ss provide evidence for a developmental progression within the ikonic mode during school years, with a mutual interaction between ikonic and concrete symbolic mode development. Ikonic processes not only supported concrete symbolic reasoning, but their level of sophistication was limited by the level of concrete symbolic understanding achieved. In secondary school years, where concrete symbolic reasoning becomes more abstract and ikonic processes are not emphasized in the curriculum, it appears that many students' development of ikonic processes does not keep pace with concrete symbolic development.