Professional Reading: SEEING AS UNDERSTANDING: The Importance of Visual Mathematics for our Brain and Learning

SEEING AS UNDERSTANDING: The Importance of Visual Mathematics for our Brain and Learning

This is a really interesting paper, released by Jo Boaler, about the importance of visual mathematics - using equipment and manipulative, drawing sketches and diagrams, etc, in order to help children understand and solve mathematics problems and concepts.

This diagram showed what parts of the brain are used in mathematics.

It also mentions how linear representations of number are crucial for number knowledge development, so using things such as number lines can really help with mathematical development.

Another really fascinating point is the importance of children learning finger patterns, and using their fingers in early math development. Even once they are confidently imaging, scientists discovered that when solving mathematics problems, a section of the brain that focuses on perception and representation of fingers lit up. The article states, 

"Fingers are probably our most useful visual aid, critical to mathematical understanding, and brain development, that endures well into adulthood."

The article includes a really useful link, that explains the importance of visual maths on the brain and learning: 

https://www.youcubed.org/category/visual-math/

The article concludes with three recommendations for mathematics teaching:

1. Not all maths thinking needs to be fast: slow and clear thinking is just as important. 

2. Using fingers is good! Successful mathematicians develop finger representations in their brains that they use into adulthood.

3. Mathematics teaching and learning needs to be more visual!

I think this article really highlights the importance of hands-on and visual learning and it is extremely important in order to develop problem-solvers, mathematical thinkers, and a positive maths experience. It is harder to do this when you do not see your students every day like in a classroom. Are we providing opportunities for this to happen and showing students how to use the materials that have been sent to them for maths? I have done this during advisories, where I have used materials in group maths lessons and in videos I have made in Explain Everything where materials are used and drawing are used. 

My students thought they didn't understand fractions...

I started what we call 'Maths Art.' I said to them -  

"if you don't know it, draw it." This was a strategy they now use if they don't know, they draw it. 

This concept helps me even as an adult and was extremely beneficial for the students. They understood tricky concepts about fractions almost instantly after seeing it represented visually. 

I need to build on this for myself and make sure I continue to use the visual aids and extend it out into the using physical materials also, such as connective cubes, rods, etc. This is harder at the correspondence level due to the nature of it but can be done. 

I have used apps and extensions that have interactives that simulate the physical materials you use in maths. 

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