manipulatives

Definition and other info

1. MANIPULATIVES DONE BY: KELLY-ANN CAMPO

2. WHAT ARE MANIPULATIVES? The purpose of the manipulative is to assist children in discovering their abilities that they would not discover on their own and this aids in the learning process. The manipulatives are provided by teachers and parents with basic instructions, while students are allowed to explore and ask questions as they feel the need to.

3. IMPOTRANCE OF MANIPUTALIVES The purpose of the manipulative is to assist children in discovering their abilities that they would not discover on their own and this aids in the learning process. The manipulatives are provided by teachers and parents with basic instructions, while students are allowed to explore and ask questions as they feel the need to.

4. IMPORTANCE CONT’D According to Piaget “children are active learners who master concepts by progressing through three levels of knowledge--concrete, pictorial, and abstract. The use of manipulatives enables students to explore concepts at the first, or concrete, level of understanding. When students manipulate objects, they are taking the necessary first steps toward building understanding and internalizing processes and procedures .”

5. FROMS OF MANIPULATIVES

6. CONCRETE MANIPULATIVES A mathematical concept is introduced with manipulatives ; students explore the concept using the manipulatives in purposeful activity.

7. ABSTRACT MANIPULATIVES Mathematical symbols (numerals, operation signs, etc.) are used to express the concept in symbolic language; students demonstrate their understanding of the mathematical concept using the language of mathematics.

8. VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVE Virtual manipulative is defined as "an interactive, Web-based visual representation of a dynamic object that presents opportunities for constructing mathematical knowledge. Virtual manipulatives have a range of characteristics, such as pictorial images only, combined pictorial and numeric images, simulations, and concept tutorials, which include pictorial and numeric images with directions and feedback.

9. ADVANTAGES OF CONCRETE MANIPULATIVES ~ Simpler , more moveable ~ Tactile experience adds a dimension of learning ~ Allows student to be more creative selecting pieces ~ Student has more control ~ Process is traceable ~ Allows trial and error ~ Units are easier to distinguish, make the whole easier to see ~ Easier to relate to real-world applications ~ Less expensive than technology ~ Allows me to be more cognitive of the operations I am performing ~ Requires more thinking ~ Do not make me feel rushed ~ I was able to think about what it actually means to multiply and divide fractions

10. ~ Students can be more creative ~ Allows teacher to involve the whole class in an interactive lesson ~ It broke the concepts down for me in a way that I will never forget. ~ Makes the concept stick better ~ Allow information to be received visually and kinesthetically ~ Helps me understand the concepts better ~ “Clarifies misconceptions and builds connections between mathematical concepts and representations, encouraging more precise and richer understandings”

11. ADVANTAGES OF VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVES ~ Immediate feedback—you know when it’s right or wrong ~ Easier to maneuver and keep together ~ A lot quicker to grasp the concept ~ Offer a larger variety of experiences ~ Allow more complex operations to be learned ~ Catches the attention of the “technology generation” ~ Actually have to relate (what you’re doing with the manipulatives ) to the numbers ~ More accessible at home than the concrete ones ~ Gives step-by-step instruction, making me see what I was really doing ~ Makes integer subtraction a lot more clear ~ Gives hints if you get the answers wrong ~ Would keep students’ attention ~ Often provides explicit connections between visual and symbolic representations

12. DISADVANTAGES OF CONCRETE MANIPULATIVES ~ Limited in the fractions that can be used (i.e., you have only a few denominators) ~ Can’t actually see the numbers on the manipulatives so you may miss the concept ~ Requires internal affirmation rather than external * ~ No feedback on whether you are right or wrong ** ~ Not very challenging ~ Doesn’t allow you to add or subtract fractions in your head

13. DISADVANTAGES OF VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVES ~ Can’t actually touch them ~ No instructions on how to enter a problem ~ Models for some content not yet available ~ Sometimes forces you to think abstractly ~ More suitable for use after a student who’s already mastered the concept ~ Some make it too easy ~ Computers do the work for the students so they are able to guess the correct answer ~ May limit the teacher’s ability to follow the students’ thought processes ~ I sometimes take the technology for granted and don’t obtain a full understanding as to why a problem is solved a certain way ~ It sometimes forces you to think abstractly ~ Takes away for the “hands and mind to work together” ~ Might feel like “do” vs. “learn/explore” ~ Doesn’t allow you to layer pieces to see equivalences ~ Doesn’t really make you find the answer on your own

14. INTEGRATION

15. INTEGRATION Manipulatives can be integrated into any subject area, student must be taken into consideration and their learning abilities. Teachers should not force students, but encourage them into accepting the manipulatives and inform the students of the benefits of the manipulatives . For example mathematics most of the time can be a troublesome area of learning for students. Teachers can associate different types of manipulatives for the students so that they would have a better understanding of the topics.

16. TYPES OF MANIPULATIVES BASE TEN BLOCKS 2 COLOR COUNTERS

17. TYPES UNIFIX CUBES PATTERN BLOCKS

18. TYPES GEOBOARDS PIPE CLEANERS

19. CONCLUSION According to learning theory based on psychologist Jean Piaget's research, children are active learners who master concepts by progressing through three levels of knowledge--concrete, pictorial, and abstract. The use of manipulatives enables students to explore concepts at the first, or concrete, level of understanding. When students manipulate objects, they are taking the necessary first steps toward building understanding and internalizing math processes and procedures.

20. REFERENCES www.hand2mind.com www.manipulativelearning.blogspot.com www.technology4all.uregina.wikispaces.net www.teachervision.com