Hands-on Activities and Models in Mathematics for Students with Identified Learning Disabilities at the Middle School Level
Hands-on Activities and Models in Mathematics for Students with Identified Learning Disabilities at the Middle School Level
Hands-on Activities and Models in Mathematics:
A Literature Review Teaching math to general education students can be a challenge but teaching math to students with a learning disability is significantly more difficult. Hands-on activities and manipulatives have been used in Math classes for years. They can be helpful if used in the correct manner. Battle (2007) stated manipulatives are wherever we turn or go. Society is always using some form of manipulative. Manipulatives are tools to help grasp concepts and make them authentic and promote understanding for students. The Common Core State Standards expects students to use tools and models to explain and solve mathematical problems, being hand-on will increase that understanding of math concepts. According to the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (2010) tools “might include pencil and paper, concrete models, a ruler, a protractor, a calculator, a spreadsheet, a computer algebra system, a statistical package, or dynamic geometry software.” There are two different types of manipulatives, concrete and virtual. Concrete manipulatives are ones that you can touch and move. Virtual manipulatives can be technology based or drawn as visuals. Both are considered using manipulatives in learning. Before working with manipulatives students should become familiar with how to use the manipulatives. According to Schweyer (2000) it is fine for teachers to model their use but it would be more insightful if students were allowed to work with them with a partner or in a group to get the benefit of makings sense of the problem and gaining a full understanding of the math concepts. Moyer and Jones (2004) say manipulatives in today’s classroom are taken for granted. Teachers are either not comfortable using them or do not know how to incorporate
Hands-on Activities and Models in Mathematics:
A Literature Review Teaching math to general education students can be a challenge but teaching math to students with a learning disability is significantly more difficult. Hands-on activities and manipulatives have been used in Math classes for years. They can be helpful if used in the correct manner. Battle (2007) stated manipulatives are wherever we turn or go. Society is always using some form of manipulative. Manipulatives are tools to help grasp concepts and make them authentic and promote understanding for students. The Common Core State Standards expects students to use tools and models to explain and solve mathematical problems, being hand-on will increase that understanding of math concepts. According to the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (2010) tools “might include pencil and paper, concrete models, a ruler, a protractor, a calculator, a spreadsheet, a computer algebra system, a statistical package, or dynamic geometry software.” There are two different types of manipulatives, concrete and virtual. Concrete manipulatives are ones that you can touch and move. Virtual manipulatives can be technology based or drawn as visuals. Both are considered using manipulatives in learning. Before working with manipulatives students should become familiar with how to use the manipulatives. According to Schweyer (2000) it is fine for teachers to model their use but it would be more insightful if students were allowed to work with them with a partner or in a group to get the benefit of makings sense of the problem and gaining a full understanding of the math concepts. Moyer and Jones (2004) say manipulatives in today’s classroom are taken for granted. Teachers are either not comfortable using them or do not know how to incorporate
References: Baptist, J., Minnie, L. Buksner, S., Kaye, R., Morgan, J., (2007, January 01). Screening in the early years for mathematics difficulties and disabilities: identifying red flags to support early … Bottge, B., Rueda, E., Skivington, M. (2006, August 01). Situating Math Instruction in Rich Problem-Solving Contexts: Effects on Adolescents with Challenging Behaviors Moyer, P., Jones, M. (2004, January 01). Controlling Choice: Teachers, Students and Manipulatives in Mathematics Classrooms National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. (2010, June 02). “Common Core State Standards for Math.” Illinois State Board of Education Schweyer, S. R. (2000). The Effective Use of Manipulatives. CORE PLUS, pp. 1-14. Williams, T.; Haertel, E.; Kirst, M.W.; Rosin, M.; Perry, M. (2011). Preparation, Placement, Proficiency: Improving Middle Grade Math Performance