Overview

Using Visuals to Develop Conceptual Understanding: Area Models is a half-day, face-to-face workshop designed to help adult numeracy teachers understand how to use visual models across the levels and domains in the College and Career Ready Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE). Area models and arrays are wonderful tools to help students see how the basic properties of addition and multiplication work, from whole numbers to binomials.

    Audience

    This professional development activity/course is designed for:

  • Adult numeracy teachers at all levels of experience and confidence.
Description

Have you ever wondered how area models can help students understand math (or what they even are)?  Having this tool on hand can help students feel like they don’t have to memorize new steps for every math function. Join us for an exploration session connecting CCRSAE concepts Levels A through D with area models.

Area models help us see the structure of math. According to Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics [1], the area model "summarizes the steps in multi-digit multiplication" (p. 207). In doing so, students can begin to visually see why the standard U.S. algorithm for multiplication works. For our adult learners who still struggle to understand multi-digit multiplication, area models can be the perfect tool. In understanding the area model for whole numbers, students can then move developmentally through fractions and decimals and even to binomials.

[1] http://sabes.org/content/adding-it-helping-children-learn-mathematics-2001

    Learning Objectives

    Upon completion of this professional development activity/course, you will be able to:

  • Identify the math concepts associated with area models
  • Give examples of how area models can be used to develop number and operation sense

  • Use area models to teach in a more conceptual way
  • Describe the developmental continuum for using area models with students
Presenter(s) / Facilitator(s)
Date
06/12/2018 - 9:00 am to 06/12/2018 - 1:00 pm
Location

Northern Essex Community College
360 Merrimack Street (Building 9, Entrance K, 3rd floor, LRW 308)
Lawrence, MA 01843
United States

PD Center
SABES Mathematics and Adult Numeracy Curriculum and Instruction PD Center
Topic Area
High School Equivalency (HiSET/GED)
Learning Disabilities / Differences
Mathematics and Adult Numeracy
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