Molly Geller

Standard 3.4 Select and Use Resources

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“Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.”

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                I use a range of resources in my teaching to engage students with the content. I use traditional pen and paper activities, manipulatives, smartboards, iPads, computers, measuring equipment, and more. Swan and Marshall (2010) write that there are great benefits to be gained by using manipulative materials in a systemic manner, rather than just as an adjunct to a lesson. They add that when manipulatives are linked with teaching to connect them to a mathematical concept in an explicit way, the potential for children’s learning will be much greater (Swan and Marshall, 2010). Moyer (2001) writes that manipulatives have ‘visual and tactile appeal’ can help develop student’s thinking of abstract mathematical concepts. Manipulatives are often advertised as making learning ‘fun’ and as tools to help engage students in mathematics lessons (Moyer, 2001). Carbonneau et al. (2013) propose that manipulatives, when used alongside effective instructional strategies, can improve student’s mathematics achievement.

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                I use manipulatives and ICT hand in hand in mathematics teaching to enhance learning.  In a year 6 probability lesson, a probability line was projected on the smartboard and added to by students to label percentages, fractions, decimals, and probability words. Students were then able to place different events along the line to show how probable they were to occur. This activity created an interactive probability line that allowed students to engage with the topic and allow them to create meaningful connections between the various number representations of probability and the various word representations. The students were engaged in this activity and the understanding seemed to stick, with the majority of students performing well on an assessment of their understanding of probability. These concepts can be further reinforced through individual work on iPads using interactive maths games.

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              Providing students with teaching aids, ICT resources and manipulatives, if organised well and easily accessible, provide an opportunity for students to actively engage with a range of concepts and provide them with a more authentic way of learning. As long as manipulatives are used wisely and thoughtfully they will bring many benefits to the classroom.

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References

Carbonneau, K., Marley, S., & Selig, J. (2013). A meta-analysis of the efficacy of teaching mathematics with concrete manipulatives. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 105(2), 380-400. doi:10.1037/a0031084

Moyer, P. (2001). Are we having fun yet? How teachers use manipulatives to teach mathematics. Educational Studies In Mathematics, 47, 175-197.

Swan, P., & Marshall, L. (2010). Revisiting Mathematics: Manipulative Materials. APMC, 15(2), 13-19.

Percentage Games. (2016). Softschools.com. Retrieved 10 August 2016, from http://www.softschools.com/math/percent/games/