Educational Ramifications

The concept of dual representation has implications for educational practices as well. Teachers in preschool and elementary school classrooms around the world use "manipulatives"--blocks, rods and other objects designed to represent numerical quantity. The idea is that these concrete objects help children appreciate abstract mathematical principles. But if children do not understand the relation between the objects and what they represent, the use of manipulatives could be counterproductive. And some research does suggest that children often have problems understanding and using manipulatives.

   
Already a Digital subscriber? Sign-in Now
If your institution has site license access, enter here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)
Judy S. DeLoache specializes in early cognitive development--specifically the development of symbolic thinking--at the University of Virginia, where she is William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Psychology. DeLoache also holds an appointment in psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she has taught since the late 1970s and where she earned her doctorate. The author thanks the many children and families who have participated in her research.