"When learning is active and hands-on, the formation of neural connections is facilitated and

information is much more readily remembered than information learned from an abstract
viewpoint, where the teacher is doing the work while the students watch."

Gregory and Parry, 2006

"Manipulatives do not magically carry mathematical understanding. Rather, they provide a

concrete way for students to link new, often abstract material to already solidified and personally
meaningful networks of knowledge, thereby allowing students to take in the new information and
give it meaning."

Stein and Bovalino, 2001

Successful lessons with manipulatives:

• Give students time to work with the manipulatives

• Students are guided and assisted by teacher to create their own understandings
• Clear directions and modeling as needed
• Purposeful

• Physical arrangements and groupings prepared ahead

Unsuccessful lessons with manipulatives:

• Students are given little direction

• Teacher works through 'step by step'
• Teacher immediately corrects mistakes or deviations in thinking
• Little mathematical introduction provided
Non-math ideas for use of manipulatives:

• Object lessons
• Use of a cultural or historical artifact
• Science labs

References

Balka, D. (1995). Exploring algebra and pre-algebra with manipulatives. Rowley, MA: Didax

Educational Resources.
Stein, M . K., & Bovalino, J. W. (2001, February). Manipulatives: One piece of the puzzle.

Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 6(6), 356-359.

Tate, M . L. (2010). Worksheets don't grow dendrites: 20 instructional strategies that engage the

brain (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.