More information about research about the benefits of using manipulatives for mathematics can be found here. |
People have used objects around them to solve math problems since ancient times. In the Middle East counting boards made of wood and clay covered with sand were used to record symbols . The use of the abucus orginated with the Romans and then was adapted by the Chinese to manipulate numbers. In the Americas, the Mayans and Aztecs used counting devices that had strings of corn that were stretched across wooden frames, and the Inca used knotted strings called quipu.
Manipulatives that were specifically created for mathematics education originated with Friedrich Froebel the German educator who created the first Kindergarten program in 1837. Italian-born educator Maria Montessori also understood the power of manipulatives to lead students to discover and learn mathematical concepts. In the early 1900s, she designed many materials to guide and lead students to deep mathematical understandings. Since then, the much research has been undertaken to explore how individuals construct understanding of the world around them, conditions that support the development of strong reasoning skills, and the role that manipulatives can play in this process. - NCTM |
Spatializing
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Proportional
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Exploring the Use of ManipulativesTry these activities out! They will help you explore the use of relational rods to build spatial and proportional connections. You will be amazed at how these tools deepen rich math tasks!
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Resources
NCTM. (n.d.). Research on the benefits of math manipulatives. Retrieved May 25, 2016, from
https://www.hand2mind.com/pdf/learning_place/research_math_manips.pdf
https://www.hand2mind.com/pdf/learning_place/research_math_manips.pdf