Interdisciplinary Integration of Mathematics and 
Literature in Primary Education: A Didactic Approach 
through Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty 
Days

Roza Vlachou; Dimitrios Kokkinos; Garyfalia Karapidaki

doi:https://doi.org/10.14445/22315373/IJMTT-V71I11P102

International Journal of Mathematics Trends and Technology

Research Article | Open Access | Download PDF

Volume 71 | Issue 11 | Year 2025 | Article Id. IJMTT-V71I11P102 | DOI : https://doi.org/10.14445/22315373/IJMTT-V71I11P102

Interdisciplinary Integration of Mathematics and Literature in Primary Education: A Didactic Approach through Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days

Roza Vlachou, Dimitrios Kokkinos, Garyfalia Karapidaki

Received	Revised	Accepted	Published
16 Sep 2025	28 Oct 2025	12 Nov 2025	29 Nov 2025

Citation :

Roza Vlachou, Dimitrios Kokkinos, Garyfalia Karapidaki, "Interdisciplinary Integration of Mathematics and Literature in Primary Education: A Didactic Approach through Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days," International Journal of Mathematics Trends and Technology (IJMTT), vol. 71, no. 11, pp. 7-20, 2025. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/22315373/IJMTT-V71I11P102

Abstract

According to international indicators assessing mathematical performance (such as PISA [24,25], TIMSS, etc.), Greek students have shown low performance levels in recent years, placing the country among the lowest-ranking European nations. This highlights students’ difficulties in understanding and applying fundamental mathematical knowledge and skills. In the search for effective teaching practices, the interdisciplinary approach emerges as an important pedagogical option, as it connects mathematics with other fields of knowledge. The present study examines such a practice, focusing on the integration of mathematics and literature. For this purpose, Jules Verne’s classic work Around the World in 80 Days was used, presented to students initially in the form of an infographic, in order to design and implement teaching interventions. These interventions aim to teach mathematical concepts, cultivate skills such as number management (place value), understanding of scale, probability, and problem solving, as well as to improve students’ attitudes toward mathematics. The study argues that the incorporation of literature can significantly contribute to creating more positive learning experiences and to strengthening the construction of mathematical knowledge and skills in primary education.

Keywords

Teaching interventions, Literature, Mathematics, RhodeScript Theory.

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