by: Armida Sandoval Estacio
Mainaga San Francisco Integrated School
Abstract
This action research aimed to emphasize the importance of math manipulatives in improving mathematics skills of learners with disabilities and proposed plan of action for the contextualization of math manipulatives based on the problems encountered by teachers in teaching learners with difficulties.
The researcher used descriptive design with survey questionnaire as the main data gathering instrument. The result of the study revealed that respondents strongly agree that math manipulatives should be adaptable to learners considering their physical characteristics, that manipulatives should be interesting and easy to manipulate, that has clear representation of mathematical ideas, should be durable and can be touched and moved around.
The common manipulative materials that SNED teachers used to improve the mathematical skills of the learners with difficulties were colored tiles, attribute blocks, cups and bowls, magnetic shapes, and popsicle sticks. It has been revealed that the problems encountered by learners with difficulties as observed by SNED teachers in using math manipulatives were learners get easily distracted by objects seen in the classroom, lack of eye focus on the manipulative materials, short attention span, get bored easily, and had trouble in handling the objects.
Other manipulatives in the classroom that were not intended for the learners with disabilities in the certain session should be placed in the safety bin to avoid distraction to the ongoing session for other learners with disabilities. Provide continuous hand-eye coordination exercises such as catching a ball, using pen or scissors, and getting his or her own dress to wear for learners with lack of eye focus. Jumping, walking and stair exerices with the teacher were recommended for learners with autism with short attention span. Simple field trip around the school and other classrooms were recommended to learners with autism to ease boredome. Using clothes slip in getting cotton balls, tongs in grasping small objects and squessing and pressing play dough were recommended for learners with disabilities having trouble in handling objects.
The proposed plan of action of the researcher should be implemented to help the SNED teachers to contextualize math manipulatives based on the available materials in their classroom and the needs of the learners with difficulties.
Keywords: contextualize, manipulative, special need education (SNED)
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