CHAPTER 40: Implementing Manipulatives in Mathematics Teaching

Manipulative materials have emerged in mathematics instruction as more than just a means to add variety to lessons; they are an essential element for effective mathematics instruction. However, for manipulatives to be used successfully in the classroom, a great deal of thought must precede their implementation. What role do manipulatives play in mathematics instruction? What factors influence the effective implementation of manipulatives in the instructional process? This paper presents alternative answers to these questions.

The purpose of manipulatives is to make mathematics more concrete. Manipulatives enable students to play with, experience, and develop for themselves mathematical principles, relationships, and ideas. For manipulatives to have any place in the mathematics classroom, they must embody or physically represent specific mathematical concepts (Wiebe, 1983). Consider two examples and one counterexample.