近年来，国内外有关代数学习的研究发现，大部分学生在初中学习代数的过程中存在一定困难，很多数学教育研究者提出了“早期代数”的教学计划，认为在小学学习代数是很有必要的。六年级学生正好处于小学和初中代数学习的衔接阶段，处于代数学习的关键时期。因此，研究他们的代数思维十分重要。基于上述背景，笔者首先对以往文献中关于代数思维的研究理论进行了系统地梳理，从理论上对初等代数范围内代数思维的概念和发展表现做了总结，在此基础上讨论了六年级学生的代数思维。考虑到代数思维的发展以代数内容的学习为依托，笔者在对小学数学教材（人教版）中的代数素材以及教师用书中的相关说明进行细致分析的基础上，梳理并解读了我国义务教育数学课程标准对第二、三学段代数衔接内容的教学要求，主要从代数式、方程、正反比例、探索规律以及多元表征这五个方面入手确定了本研究中六年级学生代数思维发展的具体要求。在对六年级学生认知水平、代数认知过程以及代数学习基础进行讨论后，得出代数内容的学习需要经过对原有算术知识结构的重组和改造，从理论上说明六年级学生在代数学习中可能会存在一定困难。根据六年级学生代数思维发展具体要求，来设计调查问卷，有针对性地对北京市大兴区一所小学两个普通班的54名六年级学生进行了测试。通过对调查结果进行整理分析，对被测学校六年级学生在代数学习中存在的具体困难产生的原因进行了思考并给出相应的解决策略和五条学习建议。

In recent years, many studies have found that the majority of students in junior high school meet with difficulties when they start learning algebra , so many math education researchers put forward “early algebra” teaching plan, thinking it’s necessary to cultivate pupils’ algebraic thinking .Sixth grade is the transition period between primary school and junior high school , so it’s full of important significance to research the situation of algebraic thinking development of sixth graders.We summarize the concept and the characteristic of algebraic thinking after reading a lot of related literature. Combined with the content of algebra in primary school, we make a intensive study of the standard of mathematics curriculum of the compulsory education. Then make the specific requirements of the algebraic thinking development of sixth graders from five aspects, such as algebraic expression, equation, direct and inverse proportion, algebraic reasoning and multiple representation.After discussing the present situation of cognitive development of the sixth graders, the learning process and foundation of algebra, we infer that the sixth graders may meet some difficulties in learning algebra since their original arithmetic knowledge structure need to be restructured. Then we design the final questionnaire to survey 54 sixth graders of a primary school in Beijing’s daxing district .Through the investigation result, we attempt to find out the main reasons and the corresponding solutions for their specific difficulties and put forward five available learning strategies for them.