BASIC SKILLS IN MATHEMATICS
Every beginning is the hardest. However once started and getting used to it yields to productive results and success. As I have observed my graders in the teaching of math. I have discussed the basic skills necessary for a child needs to acquire in order for him to thrive and excel in math subject.
Hands on manipulation and imaginary manipulation are two basic skills in mathematics. The first one “Hands on manipulation” starts at kinder, a child is asked to handle certain types of items (toys or object) that stimulate or represent what they have just instructed. Playing with the items/materials provide a way that generates a wide range of information for the child to process at the sensory, cognitive, motor and emotional levels. Taken into consideration a critical management of the child’s emotional level because frustration and failures in the assigned tasks once not met might lead to isolation and non cooperation. With this manipulative material it also allows teachers to quickly check if the child really understood the instruction. After the child has had the chance to practice physically these materials. The second skills begin. “Imaginary manipulation” the child is asked, to represent the texts, not with physical objects, but in their own minds.
This is why hands on manipulation is a pre requisite skill for it gives a clearer view how objects turn into numbers, how numbers are associated with problems. Thereby, it is easier to give concepts that mind alone work to process the given problems.
Showing the connection of this two skills can be illustrated in a simple math problem. Tommy collected 12 marbles and gave away 5 marbles to his friend Evan. How many marbles left with Tommy? Hands on Manipulation: the child learned to shaped marbles out of clay (PlayDoh) Imaginary Manipulation: He can picture it out into his mind the 12 marbles and giving away 5. Imaginary Text Manipulation helped children to understand math problems in context and to correctly extract relevant numerical information.
Helping children developed a range skill, providing various exercises and drills to effectively solve verbal problems also helps them established connections between symbolic thinking and problems in the real world.