Yet another computer-based math system?
The OCRegister’s article Irvine man has kids loving math talks about the MIND Research Institute’s ST Math Games program.
The background to this one is interesting. The founder of the program, Matthew Peterson, did not do well in school himself due to a problem with dyslexia.
His Flash based ST Math Games is largely ‘language free’ and aims at tweaking…
… spatial-temporal reasoning, the same reasoning used to learn music, to teach math concepts.
The process encourages students to visualise mathematical concepts (like adding fractions, solving equations) before they ever try to solve math problems using language, numbers or symbols.
The games revolve around the cartoon character Jiji, a penguin whose life is made easier when the student gets the problem correct.
There are similarities between this program and the approach taken in Singapore to teach the solution of simultaneous equations using visualisation by blocks.
ST Math Games is an interesting approach that is worth investigating. Apart from anything else, it does not insist that students start abstracting before they have a concrete understanding of concepts and it is catering for those who struggle with mathematics because of language issues.
Have a play with some of the ST Mat Game demos. The guided tour on that page is interesting as well.
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Annette said,
June 3, 2008 at 8:49 am
My daughter loves Jiji math. They instaled It at her school and she has been doing so much better in math. I give it two thumbs up!
zac said,
June 3, 2008 at 9:07 am
Hi Annette and thanks for your input.
Is your daughter a visual learner? That is, would she rather draw and look at pictures rather than read and write (verbal orientation)?
I’m glad to hear that the concrete approach they are using helps.