What are some common areas that students struggle with in mathematics?
Picture Link: https://pi.tedcdn.com/r/pf.tedcdn.com/images/playlists/hated_math_1200x627.jpg?c=1050%2C550&w=1050
Students who have difficulty with memory, auditory processing, visual perception, language, internal motivation, or attention often find it challenging to attend to a task that is without stimulation (Dell, 2017, P. 94). In other words, it is hard for these students to understand math concepts without getting hands on experience with or a way to visualize the material. For those reasons, common areas that students struggle with in math include number sense, word problems, and computation.
Virtual Manipulatives
Picture Link: http://www.ct4me.net/images/VirtualManipulatives.jpg
- Virtual manipulatives are digital objects that represent physical objects. They are used to help improve students’ understanding of abstract material and activate prior knowledge.
- These tools are appropriate for students who have cognitive impairments, such as a learning disability or intellectual disability, and thus need extra support with the material. They are also useful for students who have motor or visual impairments and need access to manipulatives that can be adjusted.
- When using virtual manipulatives in the classroom the teacher should first model and teach the students how to use the tool. Guided practice should then be used to ensure students are using them correctly. Once understanding is confirmed, virtual manipulatives should be readily available during math instruction.
- RESOURCES:· http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/mathematics/ebook_assets/vmf/VMF-Interface.html This is an excellent link to free virtual manipulatives that are for Prek-K to 8th grade and are easy to use.· http://www.mathplayground.com/math_manipulatives.html This website also provides an excellent range of virtual manipulatives that are interactive. It also includes games that can also be used to support math skill development.
Center for Technology
Implementation. (2014). Using virtual manipulatives to teach mathematics.
Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research.
Dell, A.G., Newton, D.A., & Petroff, J.G. (2017) Assistive technology in the classroom: Enhancing the school experiences of students with disabilities (3rd Ed). Boston: Pearson. ISBN: 9780134170411
