Fractions Aren’t Stranger Things…How to Help Students Struggling with Fractions.

My Story: From Fraction Frustration to Fraction Fluency

If fractions have ever felt like the math version of Vecna from Stranger Things—creeping in your brain and paralyzing your progress—you’re not alone. For many kids (and adults), fractions are intimidating and hard to decode.

As a kid, I hated fractions.

Not disliked. Hated.

They felt weird and confusing—so I avoided them whenever I could. I would turn every fraction into a decimal because I had what researchers now call whole number bias. I could think in whole numbers, but fractions just didn’t make sense.

Even when I got to algebra, I kept doing it. I would convert slopes like 3 4/10 into 3.4 because it was easier for me to work with. I wasn’t alone. Many students do the same thing: we over-rely on whole numbers because that's what we’re most familiar with.

But here’s the wild part: I had been working with fractions my whole life—I just didn’t know it.

Think about it. Kids split candy bars with siblings. Parents divide up slices of pizza. And here’s a tip for parents: next time two kids are fighting over something, have one cut it and let the other pick first. You’ll see just how quickly kids understand what half really means.

We live in a world of fractions—we share, we split, we portion things out. But when fractions show up in math class as abstract symbols, without context, it feels like we’re being asked to learn a dead language.

And yet, it’s a language we’ve spoken since childhood. We just haven’t spoken it through numbers.

What Is Whole Number Bias?

Whole number bias (WNB) is when students wrongly apply whole number thinking to fractions—treating them as if they follow the same rules.

Common examples:

• Saying 1/8 is bigger than 1/4 because 8 > 4

• Adding across numerators and denominators (e.g., 1/4 + 1/4 = 2/8)

• Thinking 3/3 = 6 because 3 + 3 = 6

These errors show up again and again, even into middle school and beyond. In fact, a 2023 longitudinal study found that students with persistent low growth in fraction arithmetic made more of these WNB-related errors—and fewer showed progress over time compared to their peers (Gesuelli & Jordan, 2023).

✅ What Can Parents Do to Help Kids Understand Fractions?

Many kids struggle with fractions—but some struggle in specific ways. The same study found that students who made systematic errors (like always adding across denominators) improved more than students whose mistakes were scattered and inconsistent, a pattern often seen in neurodivergent learners.

Here’s what parents can do to help:

✅ 1. Talk about fractions in everyday life

Fractions are everywhere: cooking, measuring, splitting snacks. Use language like:

• "We’re using ¾ cup of sugar."

• "You ate half your sandwich."

• "Let’s split this into thirds."

Why it helps: Real-life, hands-on exposure builds intuitive understanding—especially helpful for neurodivergent kids who learn best through context and visual cues.

✅ 2. Highlight how fractions are not whole numbers

Many students try to treat fractions like regular numbers.

• Use side-by-side comparisons like: "1/4 is less than 1/2, even though 4 is more than 2."

• Show it with paper folding or fraction tiles.

✅ 3. Use visuals and color cues

Get or make fraction bars, number lines, or diagrams.

• Color-code the numerator and denominator.

• Label visuals clearly, especially for mixed numbers.

Why it helps: Visual supports reduce working memory load, which is often a challenge for neurodivergent students.

✅ 4. Ask your child to explain their thinking—even when they’re wrong

Instead of correcting them right away, ask:

• “Can you walk me through what you did here?”

• “Why did you add both numbers on the bottom?”

This builds metacognition and helps kids notice patterns in their own mistakes.

✅ 5. Practice with number lines and estimation

Ask:

• “Where does 3/4 go between 0 and 1?”

• “Is 2/3 closer to 1/2 or 1?”

Let kids physically place sticky notes or draw on the line. This builds fraction magnitude understanding, a major predictor of long-term math success.

✅ 6. Use games and low-stakes repetition

Use:

• Baking and cooking

• Measuring games

• Educational apps or puzzles

Why it helps: Repetition in non-pressured environments builds fluency—especially important for kids with dyscalculia, ADHD, or math anxiety.

✅ 7. Track errors together and celebrate small wins

Use a “math detective journal” to:

• Spot patterns in errors

• Note what worked

• Celebrate what’s improving

Why it helps: Students who reflect on their errors—especially with help—are more likely to improve, even if they start out behind.

Full-Circle Moment

My fear and hatred slowly shifted as I understood how to interact with fractions. Now I actually prefer working with fractions. Sure, if I’m mentally tired, I might still turn 1/4 into 0.25 just to keep it moving. But fractions no longer scare me.

They’re no longer the Vecna lurking in my dreams.

And they don’t have to haunt your child either.

Ready to Help Your Child Conquer Fractions?

If your child struggles with fractions—or if you’ve seen the signs of whole number bias creeping in—don’t wait. My upcoming Fraction Bootcamp is designed to help students build real understanding, not just memorize procedures.

✅ Visual learning ✅ Hands-on activities ✅ Real-world problem solving ✅ Supportive for neurodivergent learners

👉 Spots are limited. Visit yourwebsite.com/fraction-bootcamp to reserve your child’s place today!

About the Author

Sharronda Smith of Enrichology Tutoring knows what it’s like to face math anxiety firsthand. As a neurodivergent learner, she struggled to make sense of math until she started seeing it through a real-world lens, connecting numbers and formulas to things that actually mattered in her life. That shift changed everything.

With a sibling on the autism spectrum and a strong passion for making learning accessible to all, Sharronda is working towards becoming a certified special education teacher. She taught high school science for grades 9–12 and holds a composite science teaching license, which lets her bridge the gap between math and science in a way that finally makes sense for students who think differently.

Today, she helps students overcome math anxiety by showing them how math shows up in their own lives. Her approach is clear, engaging, and designed for brains that need more than just worksheets and formulas. Whether it's through baking, budgeting, or building something from scratch, Sharronda helps students see math as a tool, not a threat.

📚 Works Cited

Braithwaite, D. W., Pyke, A. A., & Siegler, R. S. (2017). Assessing fraction magnitude knowledge: A comparison of the fraction number line estimation task with the fraction magnitude comparison task. Cognitive Development, 44, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2017.08.005

Fuchs, L. S., Schumacher, R. F., Long, S., Namkung, J. M., Malone, A., & Wang, A. (2013). Supporting calculation and word-problem performance among students with mathematics difficulty. American Educational Research Journal, 50(6), 1340–1371. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831213489343

Gesuelli, F., & Jordan, N. C. (2023). Early predictors of fraction learning among children with different growth trajectories: A longitudinal study. Manuscript submitted for publication. American Psychological Association. (Retrieved from: https://psycnet.apa.org/manuscript/2024-16908-001.pdf)

Jordan, N. C., Hansen, N., Fuchs, L. S., Siegler, R., Gersten, R., & Micklos, D. (2013). Developmental predictors of fraction concepts and procedures. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 116(1), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2013.02.001

Newton, K. J., Willard, C. A., & Teufel, C. (2014). Understanding fraction operations: The importance of equal-sized fractional units. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 36, 95–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmathb.2014.09.005

Siegler, R. S., & Pyke, A. A. (2013). Developmental and individual differences in understanding of fractions. Developmental Psychology, 49(10), 1994–2004. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031200

Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, M. (2005). The role of context in assessment problems in mathematics. For the Learning of Mathematics, 25(2), 2–9. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40248491