A frequent complaint about mathematics classes at every level is that they are boring. Students who are not as proficient in mathematics as they are in other areas have difficulty relating to the subject. Students who show a talent for mathematics become bored if they are not challenged in new ways. Incorporating fiction into the primary school mathematics classroom can improve both cases.
Students often have difficulty enjoying and excelling in mathematics class because they cannot see past the numbers on the page. They grow frustrated by math processes that seem as if they have no point. Fiction helps students understand math applications in the real world. Identifying with story characters who use math will encourage students to put their own skills to use.
Books that discuss the historical element of mathematics offer another way to engage a classroom. For older students, learning about the origin of mathematical processes gives them more insight into the subject while illustrating the practical application of mathematics. Knowing where mathematics came from shows students that there is a purpose to numbers beyond homework and tests.
For younger students, books such as "Quack and Count" by Keith Baker and "Inch by Inch" by Leo Lionni help them learn math fundamentals such as addition, subtraction and measuring. For older students, biographies and short essays about mathematicians and mathematical history can be applied when appropriate. Even novels that are not necessarily about mathematics can be great learning tools in the classroom. Find instances in stories when characters must count or do math, and ask students to follow along.