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<title>Re: [SpecialTopics 658] Re: Components of Numeracy</title>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>AS someone with both a fine arts and a math background, I am
very sensitive to the visual and tactile qualities of manipulatives. I am
currently involved with professional development rather than classroom
teaching, so my recent experience is with the reactions of teachers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>One of my favorite manipulatives is floral marbles (the flat sided
ones that come in many colors and are readily available at craft stores). Teachers
who participate in my workshops, often express the belief that their students
don’t/won’t like manipulatives because of the grade school
connotations. When I place piles of floral marbles in different colors, some
shiny, some opalescent, some matte, on the table, invariably they are greeted
with “ohs! and ahs! Not to diminish the value of more standard,
intentionally math related items, but teachers might benefit from using more
found objects with adult appeal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Susan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Susan Kidd<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>ABE Professional Development Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
specialtopics-bounces@nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces@nifl.gov] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Margaret Rogers<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 18, 2007 9:59 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> specialtopics@nifl.gov<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [SpecialTopics 673] Re: Components of Numeracy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Kathie
and All,<br>
<br>
I am delighted that we are having a discussion about using manipulatives in the
adult education classroom. I taught elementary school for 18 years and have
taught adults for 30. I cannot imagine teaching math to <i>anyone</i> without
manipulatives. So many adults in basic education classes, GED classes, and even
content classes such as Algebra can benefit from beginning with the concrete
and making the expected progress to the symbolic and then to the abstract where
we can see real mathematical thinking.<br>
<br>
Years ago when I taught my first ABE classes, I immediately ordered scissors,
crayons, and rulers. Only the stock clerk seemed surprised and teased me a
little for that order. The students readily used the materials when I
distributed the crayons to color patterns, make bar graphs, and shade shapes to
find their areas. They were proud to put the finished graphs on the wall or to
make generalizations about the patterns. <br>
<br>
My advice about manipulatives is that the success comes with the tone that is
set by the instructor. If the teacher simply expects that using manipulatives
will deepen mathematical understanding and is not shy about explaining why they
are helpful, the students will respect that position and dive in. They will
color, paste, stretch rubber bands on geoboards, find mass using balance scales
and anything else that is in the lesson design.<br>
<br>
Margaret Rogers<br>
President Elect<br>
Adult Numeracy Network<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 9/17/07 1:27 PM, "Myrna Manly" <mmanly@earthlink.net> wrote:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>Kathy, <br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'>Because you are interested in introducing manipulatives into the
adult classroom, I’m guessing that you know how powerful they can be in
helping students to recognize patterns and to see more than one way to solve
problems. They help to make the transition from the concrete to the
symbolic reasoning that is so important in math. But I also sense that
you are hesitant to use them with adults who may dismiss them as being for
children.<br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'><br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'>Perhaps this a good question to throw back to the list subscribers.
What has your experience been when you introduced manipulatives to your
adult classes?<br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'><br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'>Myrna<br>
<br>
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> specialtopics-bounces@nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces@nifl.gov] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Kathie Daviau<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, September 16, 2007 2:49 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> specialtopics@nifl.gov<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [SpecialTopics 652] Re: Components of Numeracy<br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><br>
<span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><br>
</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>I am interested in the use of
manipulatives in the adult ed math classroom. How are manipulatives used?
How do you introduce manipulatives to adults? Do you use
manipulatives in an individualized setting? What are your favorite manipulatives?
<br>
Thanks,<br>
Kathie<br>
Billings, Montana<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</span><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><tt><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>-------------------------------</span></tt><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><br>
<tt>National Institute for Literacy</tt><br>
<tt>Special Topics mailing list</tt><br>
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