ALGEBRA MANIFESTATIONS AND ABSENCES IN THE ORGANIZATION OF MATHEMATICS EDUCATION FOR FIRST GRADE

Abstract

This study investigates how algebraic concepts are introduced and developed in the first year of schooling through an examination of a Brazilian textbook and a Russian textbook, which is based on the Elkonin-Davidov teaching method. The analysis aimed to understand how each of the textbooks incorporates algebra into their teaching strategies. The findings indicate that the Brazilian textbook relies on visual elements and algorithms that emphasize memorization, using counting and direct visual associations without fostering the identification of key elements critical for problem-solving. The Russian textbook promotes a process that engages students in a thought movement by highlighting the fundamental relationship between quantities - a core aspect of the theoretical concept of numbers - which is evident in its treatment of addition and subtraction. This approach presents algebra not just in isolation but in a meaningful conceptual interrelation with arithmetic and geometry.