Active methodologies in mathematics teaching in the final years of elementary education

contributions to meaningful learning in public schools

Abstract

Mathematics teaching in the final years of Elementary Education involves challenges related to heterogeneous classrooms, gaps in prior knowledge, the increasing abstraction of mathematical content, and the need to make learning meaningful. In this context, active methodologies have been discussed as ways of reorganizing pedagogical work by increasing student participation without diminishing teachers' responsibility for selecting, mediating, and systematizing knowledge. This article analyzes the contributions of active methodologies to meaningful Mathematics learning in the final years of Elementary Education, with emphasis on the concrete conditions of public schools. It is a narrative literature review with a qualitative and analytical approach, grounded in classical authors on meaningful learning and critical education, Brazilian curriculum documents, and recent studies on active methodologies and Mathematics Education. The analysis was organized into four axes: meaningful learning and prior knowledge; student agency and teacher mediation; active strategies applicable to Mathematics; and limits and conditions for implementation in public schools. The studies examined indicate potential for greater engagement, argumentation, problem solving, collaboration, and connections between mathematical concepts and contextualized situations. However, the evidence also suggests that activity, technology, or playfulness alone does not ensure learning. Active methodologies can foster more meaningful mathematical learning when they are connected to clear objectives, formative assessment, prior knowledge, conceptual formalization, and the actual working conditions of teachers.