Course Description:

Explore how the visual presentation of quantities, mathematical relationships, and processes restrict or influence our ability to process and interact with them. Many traditional instructional approaches force us to use part-to-whole, linear sequential models that limit the ability of some individuals to establish a robust understanding of quantities so that they may be differentiated and compared. The ability to compare quantities is a primary contributor to the development of number sense and the ability to become numerate. The methodology to be presented enables such comparison by limiting demands on language processing, working memory, and executive function skills.

A student who is confused by typical math instruction can excel when instructed in a way that always shows the big picture first, uses visual-spatial images, and directly examines how the parts are connected to the whole. Simply put, students take patterns apart, then reassemble them while describing the process. This processing model allows students to process numbers in a manner similar to the way fluent readers process words. This program is quite different from how most of us were taught math, and it is different from most modern curriculum approaches as well. A variety of whole-to-part graphic organizers will be presented that model whole number and fraction concepts and procedures, word problems, and equations. Various games and activities involving both fine and gross motor skills will be demonstrated, and supported with free online materials.