The Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract Approach

Students who have difficulties with mathematics can benefit significantly from lessons that include multiple models that approach a concept at different cognitive levels. Mathematics educations have recognized a substantial body of research showing that the optimal presentation sequence for new mathematical content is concrete-pictorial-abstract, or the CPA approach. This approach has also been referred to as concrete-representational-abstract (CRA) or concrete, semi-concrete, abstract (CSA). Regardless of the name, the instruction approach is similar and originally based on the work of Jerome Bruner in the 1960s (Bruner, 1960). Concrete components include manipulatives (for example, Cuisenaire, rods, foam-rubber pie sections, and markers), measuring tools, or other objects the students can handle during the lesson. Pictorial representations include drawings, diagrams, charts, or graphs that are drawn by the students or are provided for the students to read and interpret. Abstract refers to symbolic representations such as numbers or letters that the student writes or interprets to demonstrate understanding of a task. When using the CPA approach, the sequencing of activities is critical. Activities with concrete materials should come first to impress on students that mathematical operations can be used to solve real-world problems. Pictured relationships show visual representations of the concrete manipulatives and help students visualize mathematical operations during problem solving. It is important here that the teacher explain how the pictorial examples relate to the concrete examples. Finally, formal work with symbols is used to demonstrate how symbols provide a shorter and efficient way to represent numerical operations. Ultimately, students need to reach that final abstract level by using symbols proficiently with many of the mathematical skills they master. However, the meaning of those symbols must be firmly rooted in experiences with real objects. Otherwise, their performance of the symbolic operations will simply be rote repetitions of meaningless memorized procedures. This CPA approach benefits all students but has been shown to be particularly effective with students who have mathematics difficulties, mainly because it moves gradually from actual objects through pictures and then to symbols) Jordan, Miller, & Mercer, 1998). These students often get frustrated when teachers present mathematics problems only in the abstract. Mathematics teachers need to organized content into concepts and provide instruction that allows students to process the new learning in meaningful and efficient ways. Research studies support the effectiveness of this approach. Witzel and his colleagues conducted a study of sixth-and seventh grade students identified as having difficulty in learning algebra. Students who learned how to solve algebra transformation equations through CPA scored higher on post instruction and follow-up tests than the control peers receiving traditional instruction. Furthermore, students who used the CPA sequence of instruction performed fewer procedural errors when solving for algebraic variables (Witzel, Mercer, & Miller, 2003). Teachers of mathematics in elementary schools have recognized the importance of using concrete and pictorial activities when introducing new concepts. Yet despite

newer research in cognitive neuroscience lending support for the CPA method, it is not in widespread use in middle and high school mathematics classrooms. Perhaps teachers at the secondary level feel that concrete objects may be perceived by students as too elementary, or it may be that the content demands of the curriculum push teachers directly to the abstract level to save time. Concrete and pictorial representations should be used at all grade levels. By using cognitive strategies such as CPA, teachers provide students a technique for tackling mathematics problems rather than just searching for an answer. Here is a simple example of presenting an algebraic word problem at the three cognitive levels. Example: Algebraic Word Problem High schools students Bob and John both work part-time on weekends at the local fast-food restaurant, and are paid at the end of the day on Sunday. When they receive their pay Bob gets $10 more than John. Together they have $130. How much money does each person have? Concrete: Count out $130 in play money. Give Student A (Bob) $10. Then divide the rest of the money ($120) between Student A (Bob) and Student B (John). Find out how much money each student has. Bob has $70 and John has $60. Pictorial: Represent the $130 has $10 drawings on an overhead or on a board: $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 Identify the $10 for Bob (shown in bold italic): ($10) $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 Count how much money is left. ($120) Divide the remaining money equally between bob and John: Bob: ($10) + $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 John: $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 $10 Count how much money Bob has: $70 Count how much money John has: $60 Abstract: Bob = x John = (x - $10) x + (x - $10) = $130 2 x - $10 = $130 2x = $130 + $10 2x = $140 x = $70 (Bob) x - 10 = $60 (John)

Planning Sheet for CPA Representational Levels Mathematics Concept Level: Concrete Instructional Strategy

Pictorial

Abstract

Taken from: How the Brain Learns Mathematics By David A. Sousa Edition: illustrated Published by Corwin Press, 2007 ISBN 1412953065, 9781412953061 p. 186-189