ABSTRACT
Though extensive research justifies the use of manipulative in mathematics in elementary school, there was no available information with regard to its regular and effective use among elementary teachers in the Antoa Community in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Thus the study explored the use of manipulatives in teaching mathematics in upper primary schools in three public primary schools in the community. All the nine (9) mathematics teachers in the upper primary classes of the three selected schools and two-hundred (200) pupils out of a total of 289 were selected to participate in the study. Structured questionnaires were the main instrument used to collect the primary data which was analyzed statistically using SPSS (version 22) and Microsoft Excel. The results of the study revealed that mathematics teachers of the three schools used manipulatives in their lessons to illustrate concepts and problems, though not in every lesson according to their lesson notes. The use of manipulatives in the schools yielded the positive results of helping teachers to illustrate mathematics concepts, making mathematics very interesting and practical for the pupils, and helping the pupils to increase their performance in solving mathematics problems. Among the challenges faced by the teachers with the use of manipulatives were the inadequacy of several manipulatives made specifically for mathematics, difficulty in preparing or finding the right type of manipulatives to match some complex topics, the use of over-complex manipulatives, and large class sizes making distribution and control of the use of some manipulatives difficult.
BOAKYE, K (2021). The Use of Manipulatives in Teaching Mathematics in Upper Primary Schools in Antoa Community, Ghana. Afribary. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/the-use-of-manipulatives-in-teaching-mathematics-in-upper-primary-schools-in-antoa-community-ghana
BOAKYE, KWADWO "The Use of Manipulatives in Teaching Mathematics in Upper Primary Schools in Antoa Community, Ghana" Afribary. Afribary, 26 Mar. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/the-use-of-manipulatives-in-teaching-mathematics-in-upper-primary-schools-in-antoa-community-ghana. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
BOAKYE, KWADWO . "The Use of Manipulatives in Teaching Mathematics in Upper Primary Schools in Antoa Community, Ghana". Afribary, Afribary, 26 Mar. 2021. Web. 18 Dec. 2024. < https://afribary.com/works/the-use-of-manipulatives-in-teaching-mathematics-in-upper-primary-schools-in-antoa-community-ghana >.
BOAKYE, KWADWO . "The Use of Manipulatives in Teaching Mathematics in Upper Primary Schools in Antoa Community, Ghana" Afribary (2021). Accessed December 18, 2024. https://afribary.com/works/the-use-of-manipulatives-in-teaching-mathematics-in-upper-primary-schools-in-antoa-community-ghana