When fractions keep tripping up your child, start with a strip of paper. Ask them to fold it into four equal parts and colour one part. Then draw a strip divided into four unequal pieces and invite them to explain the difference. If they call any one of the unequal pieces a quarter, return to equal parts before working with written symbols.
Next, fold a long strip and a short strip in half. Each shaded part is one half of its own strip, although the two pieces have different lengths. Ask your child to point to each whole before comparing the pieces. For the next activity, use identical strips so your child can place one half over two quarters and see that the amounts match.
Bring one example of the difficulty to the teacher. Explain whether your child could make equal parts, identify the whole, or recognise two ways to name the same amount. Begin with the first step that caused confusion, then try it with a different object to see whether the idea carries over.
