I love to use manipulatives when I teach math.  I think one of the reasons they are not used by more instructors is that students resist using them, and it is hard to keep saying "yes" when the learners are saying "no."

Over the years, I have developed some ways of honouring student resistance, and reducing it--and I'll refer you to my article Working with Student Resistance to Math Tools at http://www.literacyjournal.ca/Forumpages/forum4_s05readings.htm

I'm wondering how other people on this list serve deal with learner resistance to manipulatives?  (and then, of course, there is our own resistance to something new.  :) :))
 
Kate Nonesuch
Career and Academic Preparation
Malaspina University-College, Cowichan Campus
222 Cowichan Way
Duncan, BC
V9L 6P4
 
nonesuch at mala.ca
phone:  (250) 746-3565
Fax:  (250) 746-3563

________________________________

From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Judy Ward
Sent: Fri 23-Jun-06 8:00 AM
To: 'The Women and Literacy Discussion List'
Subject: [WomenLiteracy 365] Re: math manipulatives



Daphne, a comment on "visiting a few math classes and the lack of
manipulatives being a coincidence or representative...." My research of GED
programs in Arkansas showed the following: 95% of the instructors utilized a
textbook/workbook curriculum (algorithm based instruction), 99% used
paper-and-pencil- repeated practice as the instructional practice of choice
(algorithm based), 95% used individual instruction as their instruction
method of choice, and 99% reported repeated practice as their most effective
instructional method. The instructors were teaching the way they were taught
and had not idea there were other methods. If you visited 100 sites you
might come close to the same results.

Literacy programs are in a great position to teach basic math concepts
because basic math instruction can be easily integrated into the reading
curriculum. Although literacy providers understand and accept alternative
math instructional methods they seem to have difficulty integrating it into
their programs.

What about implementing a small group math/reading/discussion program?

Judy

-----Original Message-----
From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Daphne Greenberg
Sent: Friday, June 23, 2006 6:26 AM
To: womenliteracy at nifl.gov
Subject: [WomenLiteracy 357] Re: math manipulatives

Judy-thanks for your suggestion regarding the use of manipulatives. I am
wondering if there are others on this listserv who have experience using
manipulatives such as
Cuisinare Rods, color cubes, base ten blocks, Alge Blocks, or anything else
either for themselves when they were/are learning math, or when they
were/are teaching math. Can you share with us your experiences? Also, I
wonder whether typical adult literacy programs that include math instruction
have budgets for these manipulatives? I have only visited a few math classes
for adult learners, and have never seen manipulatives in use. I am trying to
figure out if this was just coincidence or representative of adult literacy
and math instruction.
Thanks,
Daphne

>>> j.e.ward at cox.net 06/22/06 9:23 PM >>>

Math anxiety is an emotional response to math based on negative or
unpleasant past experiences. It can also come from not understanding one
basic concept like fractions. When I began using manipulatives with 7th
graders, the importance of "why" became obvious to me. The same "why" is
just as important to adults, both teachers and students. Also, most adult
students are visual and hands on learners, especially in mathematics. Math
was difficult for them in school because it was taught in an abstract manner
- usually the way the teacher learned. As you know more of the same doesn't
work.

My suggestion: You know what concept(s) is a stumbling block for you. Take a
friend and go to the math section of a school supply store. You should see
Cuisinare Rods (fractions), color cubes (blocks for teaching/learning
multiplication, area, perimeter, etc), base ten blocks (place value,
decimals, percents), Alge Blocks (solving equations) just to name a few. Ask
for a book that will go with the manipulative of your choice, go home to
your kitchen table, work with it and learn. It's better to work with a small
group but if that isn't an option work alone.

I have used all the manipulatives listed with both adults and children. They
work! I can't tell you how many tears of joy have been shed during one of my
workshops because an adult educator (ABE/GED/ESOL/Literacy/Workplace)
understood and could "see" the why for the first time. When you feel
confident take the manipulative to your students. Let them "see" the why.

Comments?

Judy



-----Original Message-----
From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Daphne Greenberg
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 10:13 AM
To: womenliteracy at nifl.gov
Subject: [WomenLiteracy 351] Re: math anxiety

Thank you Judy for sharing your anxiety about writing. I think that this is
a great ice breaker for a lot of us who have anxiety doing math, thinking
about explaining something in math, or even writing on this listserv about
math. I have two wonders:
1. Do others on this listserv share my anxiety about anything related to
math?
2. Judy, or others, what do you recommend for teachers who have math anxiety
who are teaching students who have math anxiety?
Thanks,
Daphne


>>> j.e.ward at cox.net 6/21/2006 12:27 PM >>>

Greetings to everyone,

Since this is a women and literacy list serve I assume that all have a deep
concern and interest in advancing women through a literacy perspective.
Also, I assume that you all love reading and writing and would like to help
others feel the same way.

To get the numeracy and math anxiety discussion going I would like to begin
from a different direction. I would like to tell you a little about my
"anxiety" with English class during my k-12 years. Although I never made bad
grades, English class was a challenge for me. Remembering all the sentence
structure rules was overwhelming and didn't make sense. Diagramming a
sentence, as well as the other 10 or so that were assigned, was a painful
task. The process didn't make sense to me and I wasn't able to carry the
exercise over to writing.

Writing was and still is another challenge and most of the time almost a
painful experience for me. You could say that my anxiety about putting words
on paper is a stumbling block and I have to work extremely hard just to get
started. There are times when I must write something important, like now,
that my stomach gets knots in it, my mind goes blank and I have to write and
rewrite over and over. Just before I send this email my anxiety level will
increase drastically because someone will read this and find mistakes or
think the writing is terrible. Where does this anxiety come from? Probably
past experiences with teachers that loved and knew their subject but didn't
teach the way I learn. We know a lot more now about how learning takes place
than in my k-12 years.

Now, for today's discussion question: Is there a relationship between
literacy and the content in a typical English class in the US?

I look forward to the discussion.

Judy Ward



Judy Ward, Ed.D.
6886 Young Farm Avenue
Springdale, AR 72762
Phone: 479.361.2223
Fax: 479.361.2223
Email: j.e.ward at cox.net

Arkansas Adult Numeracy Campaign
Teaching Mathematics Effectively to Adult Learners




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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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