Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Math manipulative tools
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Math manipulative tools
Math manipulatives are an essential tool to teaching mathematics. The two main purposes of using math manipulatives is to help students’ form concrete understanding of abstract concepts and meeting the needs of students who learn better by using a variety of different learning styles. It is important to note that math manipulatives can be used when introducing, practicing, or reteaching concepts.
The first purpose of math manipulatives is to allow students’ to “construct their own cognitive models for abstract mathematical ideas and processes” and “provide a common language with which to communicate these models to teachers and other students” (handtomind.com, 2017, para. 1). In essence, math manipulatives “bridge the gap between the world in which students’ live in and the abstract world of mathematics” (handtomind.com, 2017, para. 3). An example of this is when students’ are learning about fractions. When a student can see that 1/3 + 1/3+ 1/3 = 1 whole using manipulatives it is
…show more content…
This active learning allows students to bring abstract concepts more real-world to the students’ and allows a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. Some great ways to utilize instructional technology in the classroom includes: creating own tutorials, creating video problems, taking real-world video to solving mathematical problems, playing games to learn and practice a variety of concepts, using virtual manipulatives and interactive diagrams to understand concepts, mathematical art, etc. (The Reflective Educator, n.d.). Some additional uses of instructional technology includes: tracking students work and answers, enhancing lessons with virtual manipulatives, providing online activities and online assessments based on math standards, and creating differentiate lessons based on students’ tracked answers (Moss,
Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" was published in 1960 and is an American literary work. It explores themes such as racism, injustice, and moral growth through the perspective of the protagonist, Scout Finch. This novel is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s, and it describes Southern societies struggling with prejudice and moral issues. Moral growth is a central theme in "To Kill a Mockingbird," and it is mainly explored through the development of the main character Scout Finch, and her brother Jem Finch. They experienced significant moral growth in the face of injustice and complexity in the community of Maycomb, Alabama.
All children learn differently and teachers, especially those who teach mathematics, have to accommodate for all children’s different capacities for learning information. When teaching mathematics, a teacher has to be able to use various methods of presenting the information in order to help the students understand the concepts they are being taught.
It is helpful to connect the learning to a student’s prior experience. Teachers also need to consider the role of technology in their classroom.
Math manipulatives have been around for years, but are now becoming increasingly popular amongst educators. Math manipulatives include anything from buckets of pattern blocks, trays of tiles, and colored cubes to virtual manipulatives, or manipulatives colored and cut out by the students themselves. All of these materials can help assist in tangibly teaching children math concepts and by pulling math off the page and into the hands of students. For a child to be verbally and physically taught a math concept allows them to think, reason, and solve problems with the teacher's guidance as well as on their own. Manipulatives can be used in lower levels by children making up stories with numbers that use a certain number of blocks to learning decimal places and place value in older grade levels.
With the widespread use of digital technology, the classroom teaching approaches and practices went through remarkable changes. When compared to the past ten years, today the classrooms look entirely different in terms of programs and technical tools used to enhance the learning skills of students.
Fraction Friction is the title of this series of lesson designed for year seven students. It will build on previous basic knowledge of fractions and consider more advanced thinking including algebraic thinking and computation. Fractions have always represented considerable challenges for students and a lack of understanding is then translated into difficulties with fraction computation, decimals and percentage concepts and the use of fractions in other areas especially algebra. (NMP, 2008) as cited in Van De Walle, Karp & Bay-Williams 2010. These lessons are designed to further enhance students understanding of fractions and how they can be compared and adjusted to use in mathematical practice. The students will have the opportunity
...S. and Stepelman, J. (2010). Teaching Secondary Mathematics: Techniques and Enrichment Units. 8th Ed. Merrill Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Kelly Uriacer reflects that “Technology has improved many aspects in our lives.” She goes on to ponder, “Therefore it’s natural to wonder: Can technology be used to improve a student’s math skills and close achievement gaps?” In this section of the blog, a number of critical points were made about using technology in teaching and learning mathematics in the 21st Century. Important concepts addressed include technology use endorsements by a prominent math organization and an educator, what current research indicates, the need for teacher preparation, and a brief look inside classrooms.
Many students view mathematics as a very difficult subject since it does not only focusses on numbers but also in letters. Mathematics does not only require the students to come up with an answer but it also requires them to show the solutions on how they arrived at the answer. While in elementary, students were already taught on how to solve problems in a step-by-step procedure starting with what is asked in the problem, what are the given, make a number sentence or formulate an equation and solve the problem. These procedures are called problem-solving which cannot only apply in mathematics but also in other areas such as in Science, businesses and most
A somewhat underused strategy for teaching mathematics is that of guided discovery. With this strategy, the student arrives at an understanding of a new mathematical concept on his or her own. An activity is given in which "students sequentially uncover layers of mathematical information one step at a time and learn new mathematics" (Gerver & Sgroi, 2003). This way, instead of simply being told the procedure for solving a problem, the student can develop the steps mainly on his own with only a little guidance from the teacher.
Technology properly used in the classroom has many advantages to a student’s learning. Technology can help students become more involved in their own learning process, which is not seen in the traditional classroom. It allows them to master basic skills at their own rate rather than being left behind. Teachers and students alike can connect to real life situations by using technology in the classroom; this can also help to prepare students for real world situations. Technology can be used to motivate students as well as to offer more challenging opportunities. It can also be used as a visualization tool to keep students interested in the subject that is being taught. When technology is used effectively, students have the opportunity to develop skills that they may not get without the use of technology (Cleaver, 2011). Assessing and monitoring students is easier on the teacher because of the ability to use technology in the classroom. When technology is used correctly it offers limitless resources to a classroom atmosphere.
So, even in cases such as this, technology can be used to further demonstrate the reasoning behind a problem. It may be the case that we want our students to work on the application, and then again it may be the case that we want our students to be able to see what they are doing the application for. The only thing we really have to be careful of is not to let technology replace the “basic understandings and intuitions” (Principles 25). Technology can be a great tool for teaching mathematics because we can show and manipulate visual form with such programs as The Geometer’s Sketchpad and many others. Programs such as these help students to visualize problems, and can also help teachers better explain the mathematical concepts.
Wenglinsky, H. (1998). Does it compute? The relationship between educational technology and student achievement in mathematics. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service. Retrieved March 6, 2002, from ftp://ftp.ets.org/pub/res/technolog.pdf.
I hope to learn a lot about teaching mathematics. My major is early childhood education and plan on teaching kindergarten. As a kindergarten teacher I need to be able to teach every subject. This class will allow me to gain the skills needed to teach math successfully. I want to learn how to use manipulative during math lessons to get my students engaged. I want to learn instructional strategies and techniques to help my students understand. Some of the strategies may include using appropriate materials to teach all children with different learning styles. I look forward to learning the critical mathematics concepts relevant to the early childhood mathematics Common Core Standards for Mathematics. The Common Cores Standards are very important because it provides teachers, parents, and students with a set of clear expectations. The standards will ensure that all students are prepared with the same skills needed in
Modern technology has made it so much easier to obtain educational information for classroom or homework assignments. It offers educational games that stimulate the brain and help children who have difficulties focusing on traditional teaching and learning procedures. College students are even taking advantage of online courses that many colleges are offering as an alternative to physically attending classes. Advances in technology and computers will continue to play an important role in education for many generations to come.