Task 2

What is classroom manipulative?

Classroom manipulative which means "all the practical apparatus
that we use in our classrooms such as Multilink cubes, Dienes
apparatus, counters, place value counters, bead strings, and
Cuisenaire rods (Back, 2013). In addition, classroom manipulative is
important to identify the math concept for the primary schools. Kids
need the thing to touch and see to recognize the concept of the
lesson. So provide models in your classroom will support you as a
teacher by giving the concept for the students in an easy way that
they will allow the students to understand it better and will note
waste your time.
Teaching practice
Moreover, in the teaching practice, I have seen my MST classroom
provide with a lot of models and tools that support the lesson that
she taught. Additionally, she put all the tools in the boxes in the
classroom so when she need it will be available for her.
Furthermore, one of tool that I saw my MST use is the cubes the
lesson was about addition. So to identify the lesson the teacher let
the students use the cubes to add. For example 5+1 the students
will make five cubes then they will add one cube to get the result
which it is 6. Relate the math with real things, will be a good idea
because it facilitates the understanding of pupils.
Also, when I ask my MST about the lessons that she prepare she told
me that she use the lesson plan to organize the lesson and to fit the
time. For example, she start with review with the previous lesson,
then identify the lesson and the tool that support the lesson, and
the last thing is to evaluate them by letting them solve questions.
This one way that my MST writes her lesson. Also about the time for
the activities, it depends on the students understanding if the
students get the lesson fast, it will take a short time but if not it will
take longer. Also preparing the tools, my MST classroom is provided
with the tools that support the lesson and help the students to get
the concept. So when the teacher uses the tool, first of all, she gives
clear, simple instruction for the students because there are in grade
one so putting simple instruction it will be much better than
complex instruction that the children dont understand. Then she
does a model about how we can use the tool before she gives the
students the tools.
Conclusion
Overall, there are a lot of ways to teach the students the math but
using classroom manipulative is the best way as I think because the

students will learn by doing and explore. So if the students do and

make they will not forget the concept fast as watching the teacher
give the lesson on the board.
References
Bank, J. (2013). Manipulatives in the Primary Classroom. Retrieved from
http://nrich.maths.org/10461