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Math Summative Project

Sarah Hillier
EDUC 5433: Elementary Math Methods

Table of Contents
Annotated Bibliography

NCTM Article Reviews

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Base-ten blocks
Dice
Fraction Factory Pieces
Geoboards
Canadian Money

Mathematics Instructional Technologies

Understanding Fractions Tools For Enhancing Student Engagement and Comprehension

Review of Mathematics Manipulatives

Engaging Students With Autism in The Elementary Mathematics Classroom

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Padlet
SmartBoard Activity
iPad Instructional Applications

Mathematics Enrichment Technologies


Websites for mathematics enrichment

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Engaging Students With Autism in The Elementary


Mathematics Classroom - An Annotated
Bibliography

Abstract: Students with autism often have difficulties obtaining functional mathematics
skills in a traditional mathematics classroom. These problems may arise due to
difficulties in cognitive or language processing, a strong preference for routines and
resistance to change, a lack of overall engagement in the traditional classroom, and a
preference for visual over auditory-based instruction. Research conducted on improving
the experience of autistic students in the math classroom is limited and is often done on
very small groups of individuals. Nevertheless, I have examined five articles that present
promising research on this topic and possible next steps. Engaging and promoting all
learners in the classroom is extremely important and as educators, we must inform
ourselves in order to do so.

Burton, C., Anderson, D., Prater, M., & Dyches, T. (2013). Video Self-Modeling on an
iPad to Teach Functional Math Skills to Adolescents With Autism and
Intellectual Disability. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities,
28(2), 6777.
In this article, researchers employed the technique of video self-modeling (VSM). In
using VSM, students watch themselves perform a certain task or behaviour on video.
This can be done using a TV, computer, etc. basically any device that records and/or
plays back videos. The researchers who conducted this study were interested in finding
out if conducting VSM using a hand-held iPad would increase the participants
percentage of correct responses to mathematics-based questions. The study was
completed on four male students (3 with autism, 1 with an intellectual disability). The
results that they obtained from the study suggest that VSM using an iPad is a highly
effective instructional tool and does help to increase functional mathematics skills. The
researchers also state the VSM increased participants level of independence in solving
math problems. While further students would need to be completed on a larger sample
size, this study denotes a promising future for the use of VSM using an iPad for teaching
functional mathematics skills.

Cihak, D., & Foust, J. (2008). Comparing Number Lines and Touch Points to Teach
Addition Facts to Students With Autism. Focus on Autism and Other
Developmental Disabilities, 23(3), 131137.

In this article, the researchers taught single-digit addition and problem solving skills to
three elementary students on the autism spectrum using number and touch-point
strategies. They argue that functional mathematical skills are frequently underdeveloped
in students with autism due to ineffective or inadequate instructional techniques. They
state that autistic students learn mathematics best through extensive feedback, explicit
instruction, and a lot of drilling and practice. The touch-point strategy to instruction
allows students to use the dot-like system to represent the numbers that they are
computing. In their study, the authors found that the students exposed to this strategy
were able to answer 100% of the questions in the question set posed to them when using
the touch-point strategy. Their ability to solve single-digit addition problems increased to
an average score of 72% when using touch-points as opposed to a 17% when using
number lines. While this study exhibits some promising results, the fact that there were
only three participants, who received individualized and explicit instruction, must be
taken into account. Once again, more research will have to be done on this method to
determine its generalizability and implications for instructional modification.

James, I. (2010). Autism and Mathematical Talent. The Mathematical Intelligencer,


32(1), 5658.

The author of this article states that autism is a developmental personality disorder, not an
illness. This article examines the mathematical success of individuals with a form of mild
autism, Aspergers syndrome. Individuals with Aspergers syndrome often have very
distinctive symptoms, but also sometimes possess increased mathematical capacities. Not
all autistic students are good at math, but autistic individuals with high intelligence can
excel greatly in the fields of math and science. They tend to be very creative, curious, and
have a compulsion to understand the world around them. The author of the article also
states that math can be a form of expression for an autistic individual who may have an
otherwise difficult time expressing him or herself. I believe that this article shines a light
on the link between more mild forms of autism (Aspergers) and the connection to math
genius. It does not, however, offer suggestions for how to engage or teach autistic
students who have cognitive difficulties in math classes.

Rockwell, S., Griffin, C., & Jones, H. (2011). Schema-Based Strategy Instruction in
Mathematics and the Word Problem-Solving Performance of a Student With
Autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 26(2), 8795.
In this article, the authors examined the use of schema-based strategy instruction (SBI) as
a method of teaching word problems to students with autism. A schema-based problem is
one that creates a global mental problem-solution picture that helps students to identify
the components of the problem in an effort to solve a future problem. This particular
study was completed on one 10-year-old female student. The results found by this study
suggest that SBI could be an effective way to teach autistic students how to approach and
solve addition and subtraction word problems. The lone participant in the study did show
improvement in her ability to solve word problems after 3 week of instruction. This
ability remained when the researchers returned shortly after the 3-week period. The
results of this study are promising but yet again cannot be generalized due to the number
of student studied (one). The results of the study do, however, suggest that schema-based
strategy instruction may be a useful strategy for autistic students to use when solving
word problems. These results support the idea that autistic learners often learn better
visually as opposed to auditory methods.

Tzanakaki, P., Grindle, C. F., Saville, M., Hastings, R. P., Hughes, J. C., & Huxley, K.
(2014). An individualised curriculum to teach numeracy skills to children
with autism: programme description and pilot data. Support for Learning,
29(4), 319338.

In this article, the researchers conducted a study with six boys (ages 47-81 months) on the
autism spectrum to find out whether or not a program called Maths Recovery could be
used as a numeracy curriculum for autistic students. They state that children with autism
can often experience difficulties with traditional mathematics instruction due to problems
with language processing, lack of engagement, and an inadequate amount of visual
stimulation. Through an individualized instructional approach and appropriate
administration of the Maths Recovery curriculum, the mean math ability scores of the
students involved in the study improved from 66.83 to 78.83 over a 20 week period. The
researchers conclude that Maths Recovery curriculum can be used as a teaching manual
for students with autism. However, they also state that the students involved did not
retain what they had learned in the long term. Thus, this type of instruction would need to
be studied further to determine how it could help to instill these mathematical skills over
the long term.

Understanding Fractions Tools For


Enhancing Student Engagement and
Comprehension
A NCTM Review

Goral, M. B., & Wiest, L. R. (2007). An Arts-Based Approach to Teaching


Fractions. Teaching Children Mathematics, 14(2), 7480.
Mary Barr Goral is an assistant professor at Bellarmine University and her
research interests are focused on arts integration in mathematics. Lynda Wiest is an
associate professor at the University of Nevada and her main area of interest is
mathematics education and educational equality. The intended audience of this article is
elementary school teachers, particularly those teaching music and/or math. The authors
discuss three methods for integrating art into the mathematics classroom in their article in
an effort to better understand fractions. They argue that art integration allows for a
greater activation of areas of the brain during instruction. The three methods they used in
the study to complete their integration were poetry, movement, and music. After reading
the poem, jumping on a giant number line, and taping the beat to a song, almost all of the
students understanding of a whole, half, quarter, and for most an eighth was enhanced.
The authors argue that the incorporation of kinesthetic, visual, and musical arts can
greatly enhance mathematics instruction of fractions.
This article makes some very strong points in favour of art integration in the
mathematics classroom. While this article could not be called a research paper, it
certainly does a great job of conveying the authors findings regarding the trial of their art
techniques in fractions instruction. There are many authentic student drawings and exitslip type questions included in the article that enhance the validity of the claims and
support the authors claims.
This article could serve as an excellent starting point for any teacher looking to
incorporate arts-based concepts or teaching techniques in the math classroom.

Kosbob, S., & Moyer, P. S. (2004). Picnicking with Fractions. Teaching Children
Mathematics, 10(7), 375381.
Sarah Kosbob is a grade two teacher at Westlawn Elementary School in Virginia.
Her primary area of interest is how students communicate mathematical ideas. Patricia
Moyer is a mathematics education professor at George Mason University in Virginia. Her
research focuses on mathematical representations and mathematics teacher development.
The intended audience of this article is elementary mathematics teachers. The authors
goals for the research presented in the article are to enhance and support students
understanding of fractions by connecting it to objects and a context they are likely
familiar with picnics. The fraction related problems are based on the concept of sharing
food with other students or attendees of the picnic of various shapes, sizes, and with a
specific number of individuals. The authors state that the students were highly engaged
and motivated by the activity as it was so closely related to real life events.
This paper relies strongly on NCTM standards and connects back to them
frequently throughout the article to validate their research and findings. The article has an
instructional tone and was very clearly written in order to aid other teachers in following
the same lesson and procedures in their own classrooms. The pictures of student work
help support the authors claims of high levels of student engagement as it is clear that
some students worked very hard on their pictures and the dispersion of food throughout
the group.
This article would be an excellent resource for any teacher looking to incorporate
new fraction-related word problems in his or her classroom. Reproducible sheets of the
actual questions used in the lesson are also included.

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Stump, S. L. (2003). Designing Fraction-Counting Books. Teaching Children


Mathematics, 9(9), 546549.
The author of this article, Sheryl Stump, teaches mathematics courses to both preand in-service elementary and secondary teachers at Ball State University in Indiana. Her
primary area of research focus is on teachers knowledge of mathematics and
mathematics pedagogy. This article is intended for elementary mathematics teachers. In
this article, Stump presents the idea of using fraction-counting books as a way to
introduce fractions as a form of counting. She draws on the research of Van de Walle,
stating that he says counting fraction parts are very similar to counting using whole
numbers. He says that fraction symbolism or notation should be delayed as long as
possible in order to facilitate understanding. Fraction counting books must be based on
numbers larger than the whole and include a visual representation of the entire
denominator. Stumps article is based on an activity completed with her pre-service
elementary math methods class. She concludes by stating that fraction-counting books
can serve as both an assessment and engagement tool for early-fraction learners.
This article very clearly explains the benefits of introducing fractions to young
students in this broad and very visual way. Connecting fractions to real-world, tangible
objects or events is an essential building block to a global understanding of fractions
principles. The incorporation of fraction counting books created by Stumps pre-service
teachers helps to re-iterate and support her claims of their utility in the classroom.
This article outlines the benefits of a very useful and possibly very powerful tool
for elementary mathematics teachers. Fraction-counting books are extremely creative and
visual and will appeal to all types of learners in a classroom setting.

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Mathematics Manipulative Review


Manipulatives are an integral part of any mathematics classroom, be it elementary or
secondary. They help to support learning by providing students with a visual
representation of often very abstract concepts. Given the amount of technology
integration in modern day schools, it is very tempting for teachers to leave the physical
manipulatives to collect dust and shift toward virtual manipulatives. While I do believe
that virtual manipulatives have their place in the classroom, teachers must not forget
about physical manipulatives. Below are some of my preferred manipulatives and a
description of their utility in the classroom setting.

Base-ten Blocks

Base-ten blocks are an extremely useful and multifaceted set of manipulatives. They can be used to
support learning in many curriculum areas including
fractions and decimals, numeration, working with
operations, and pattern work. In my own experience,
base-ten blocks can be useful when teaching rounding
to the nearest 10, 100, and 1000 to students. Base-ten
blocks help students gain an understanding of abstract
concepts like place value as well, which otherwise
may have been taught through paper and pencil alone.
Base-ten blocks are also now available for use with
SmartBoard technology, further enhancing their
utility in the classroom. Students can connect paper to
base-ten blocks to base-ten simulations on the screen.
The possibilities are truly endless.

Dice

Dice may seem to be an odd choice as a


preferred manipulative in the classroom, but in
fact they are one of the most versatile and useful
manipulatives available to students and teachers
alike. Many activities can be designed to
incorporate the use of dice in subject areas such
as operations, fractions and decimals, integers,
numeration, patterns, exponents, problem
solving, games, centre work, and probability.
Dice are a very engaging and versatile
manipulative that should be in every classroom
and made use of frequently.

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Fraction Factory Pieces

Fraction factory pieces provide students with


both a tangible and visual representation of a
topic that often proves to be very challenging to
students. Fraction factory pieces can be used
both in the classroom setting and also at home!
In my own experience, making paper versions of
these pieces can increase understanding while at
home and perhaps working on homework.
Having access to such a manipulative at home is
truly invaluable and provides access to an
otherwise inaccessible set of materials. The
pieces themselves are very durable and help to
support learning in a variety of areas such as
operations, comparing and ordering fractions,
equivalent fractions, and problem solving. The
fraction factory pieces can also be enlarged and
used to create a fraction wall in the classroom.

Geoboards

Geoboards are very useful manipulatives in the


elementary mathematics classroom. They help to
support learning in such areas as patterns, 2-D
shapes, angles, area and perimeter, fractions and
decimals, symmetry, and transformational
geometry. These boards offer a hands-on
approach to exploring these concepts in a very
forgiving and eco-friendly manor shapes can be
created and re-created, never having to lift a
pencil. Geoboards could also be used for games
or work at centers in the mathematics classroom.

Canadian Money

Exposing students to working with money at an


early age helps them not only to develop critical
curriculum-based skills but also many practical
and transferrable skills. Incorporating money into
instruction in areas such as operations, decimals
and fractions, problem solving, rounding,
numerations, place value, base-ten grouping,
patterns, centers and probability. I have
personally used money to re-enforce the concept
of rounding to the nearest ten. It was extremely
effective and helped facilitate understanding in
students of all levels and learning styles in the
classroom. Money is a part of our everyday lives,
so lets teach kids how to use it!

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Mathematics Instructional Technologies


Padlet
One of my math technology initiatives was to make a Padlet (a bulletin-board style
website) that students can access at home with the supervision of their parents to view
math homework, math videos, or post math questions. I decided to create this website to
further integrate technology into the mathematics classroom and to enrich my students
mathematical learning experiences by providing them with additional information outside
of the classroom. This board also serves an as excellent communication for practice
questions and assignments for students to do on storm days (parents know to check for
updates on storm days). Although I teach math in French, the Padlet is in English so that
parents can aid their children with the math without a language barrier. The Padlet looks
like this:

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SmartBoard Lessons
Over the course of my internship and Bachelor of Education degree, I have created a
number of SmartBoard lessons to help create a technology-integrated and 21st century
learning environment. While virtual math manipulatives and mathematics tools cannot
replace physical manipulatives, they can help to promote understanding of complex
topics for both visual and kinesthetic learning styles. An example of one of my
SmartBoard lessons featured below deals with using virtual base-ten blocks to learn about
place value, estimating and re-grouping when adding two and three-digit numbers. These
slides were used in a grade 3 French immersion classroom.

Part 1: Estimating unit cubes in relation to tens rods (determining if numbers are between
0-4 or 5-9).
1

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Part 2: Using base-ten blocks and word problems to solve two and three-digit
addition problems.


5
6

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iPad Instructional Applications


When it comes to math technologies and math manipulatives, it is important to find tools
that the students can relate to and that are easy to work with. Many students have used or
have seen an iPad before and are familiar with how to use one. iPad use in the classroom
appears to be on the rise and as such, can be used as an instructional tool. There are
already many applications available for download to help students with math. One such
application is Speedo Math. This application could be used for enrichment or as part of a
math centre. The app provides students with a variety of questions (using all four
operations) to enhance their mental math and problem solving skills. Apps such as these
can be extremely useful in the elementary classroom.

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Mathematics Enrichment Technologies


I feel that when teaching mathematics, it is extremely important to make the material fun
and as relatable to your students as possible. The generation of students who are currently
going through the school system are the extremely tech-savvy and technologically
literate. As such, one way that I intend to provide enrichment activities for my students is
by directing them toward educational mathematics games websites. The websites listed
below are some that I have personally investigated and find to have both a high
educational value and will be extremely engaging for elementary aged students.
Brain Pop
Brain pop is an interactive website that
hosts a variety of activities but also
contains an extensive math section. There
are games and activities on this website for
students of all ages (K-12). The games are
extremely engaging and cover all of the
main math strands.
Cool Math 4 Kids
Cool math 4 kids has a variety of games,
word problems, and math-related riddles
for elementary and middle school aged
students. The website also contains minilessons that could be completed for
enrichment purposes with a parent or
guardian at home.
Math Playground
Math playground is another interactive site
with a variety of engaging and stimulating
games. It also contains a section of
interactive manipulatives that students can
use to practice math skills at home (Ex.
virtual geoboard, fraction pieces, balancing
pan, and more).

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AplusMath
The website AplusMath contains a variety
of multiplication, division, geometry, and
addition bingo games that would be an
excellent class review activity. The
website also contains flashcards,
worksheets, and homework helper
activities that can be completed with
parents or guardians at home for
enrichment purposes.
Maths-games.org
Maths-games.org contains games for
enrichment in counting, adding,
multiplication, fractions, percentages,
decimals, shape games, measurement, and
time games. Organization by subject
makes the website very easy to navigate
and use.

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