Touch Math Criticisms

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Home : 2003 : January : 2

Touch Math Criticisms
By Amanda K.

I, too, have heard criticisms about Touch Math. I was reluctant to use it at first because I felt that it did have the possibility of bringing kids away from a better understanding of number sense. However, having used
it in my room, I feel that it can actually contribute to a better understanding of number sense. After all, counting the dots on the numbers is virtually the same thing as giving kids blocks or other manipulatives and having them count them to understand the reasoning behind math problems. It allows children to work with the actual written numbers in a semi-manipulative environment.
Touch

Math, I feel, should be the intermediary step between using these manipulatives and switching to just using numbers. It's a great way to wean kids off of using the manipulatives or drawing lines on paper to solve a word problem, and getting them to switch to numbers. Of course, it should not be the basis of your entire program.

It's funny, because I have heard mathematicians and higher math educators from both sides of the issue. I think it's just one of those things that you should use if you're comfortable with it. But, the bottom line is, you use whatever works with your kids.