Mathematical Representations

Jen Robitaille
Office of Special Services, Special Projects Team
Mathematics Education/Inclusive Education
jennifer.r.robitaille@maine.gov
“…is the goal of mathematics answer-getting
or long-term mathematical understanding?”
-the Math Pact (2021)
Deep Mathematical Understanding

• Deep mathematical understanding comes from

conceptual mathematical understanding
partnered with procedural understanding
• Procedures cannot be taught in isolation to
develop short-term or long-term mathematical
understanding
• Teaching procedures and shortcuts disconnects
students from developing deep mathematical
understanding
Deep Mathematical Understanding

• Representations allow students to compare and

contrast multiple depictions to help develop
generalizations or patterns occurring in the
mathematics
• Representations allow students to communicate
their thinking about the mathematics
• Representations allow students to make sense of
mathematical relationships
• Representations support deeper understanding of
mathematical content compared to the use of
abstract symbols and numbers alone
Eight Effective Teaching Practices

• NCTM’s Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical

Success For All focuses on the Eight Effective
Teaching Practices
– These are eight practices that teachers do to
support successful mathematical instruction (not
to be confused with the eight Standards for
Mathematical Practice from our state standards
or the Common Core that focus on what
students engage in within their mathematics
learning)
Eight Effective Teaching Practices

• Establish mathematics goals to focus learning.

• Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem
solving.
• Use and connect mathematical representations.
• Facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse.
• Pose purposeful questions.
• Build procedural fluency from conceptual
understanding.
• Support productive struggle in learning mathematics.
• Elicit and use evidence of student thinking.
Eight Effective Teaching Practices

• Establish mathematics goals to focus learning.

• Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem
solving.
• Use and connect mathematical representations.
• Facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse.
• Pose purposeful questions.
• Build procedural fluency from conceptual
understanding.
• Support productive struggle in learning mathematics.
• Elicit and use evidence of student thinking.
Eight Effective Teaching Practices

• Establish mathematics goals to focus learning.

• Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem
solving.
• Use and connect mathematical representations.
• Facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse.
• Pose purposeful questions.
• Build procedural fluency from conceptual
understanding.
• Support productive struggle in learning mathematics.
• Elicit and use evidence of student thinking.
Eight Effective Teaching Practices

• Establish mathematics goals to focus learning.

• Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem
solving.
• Use and connect mathematical representations.
• Facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse.
• Pose purposeful questions.
• Build procedural fluency from conceptual
understanding.
• Support productive struggle in learning mathematics.
• Elicit and use evidence of student thinking.
Eight Effective Teaching Practices

• Establish mathematics goals to focus learning.

• Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem
solving.
• Use and connect mathematical representations.
• Facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse.
• Pose purposeful questions.
• Build procedural fluency from conceptual
understanding.
• Support productive struggle in learning mathematics.
• Elicit and use evidence of student thinking.
Eight Effective Teaching Practices

• Establish mathematics goals to focus learning.

• Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem
solving.
• Use and connect mathematical representations.
• Facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse.
• Pose purposeful questions.
• Build procedural fluency from conceptual
understanding.
• Support productive struggle in learning mathematics.
• Elicit and use evidence of student thinking.
Eight Effective Teaching Practices

• Establish mathematics goals to focus learning.

• Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem
solving.
• Use and connect mathematical representations.
• Facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse.
• Pose purposeful questions.
• Build procedural fluency from conceptual
understanding.
• Support productive struggle in learning mathematics.
• Elicit and use evidence of student thinking.
 Use and connect mathematical representations.
Pictures

Models

Diagrams
Concrete objects Abstract

Manipulatives Numbers and

Symbols

Vocabulary

Real World Language

Connections
NCTM’s Principles to Actions, p 25
 Types of Representations…Another Model

Physical objects Symbolic

Manipulatives Numbers and

Symbols

Visuals
Pictures
Models
Diagrams the Math Pact – Elementary, p 52
Examples of Concrete, SemiConcrete, and Abstract Representations

Concrete Semiconcrete Abstract

Representations Representations Representations
Counters Drawings/sketches/ Numbers
Base 10 materials illustrations Operation symbols
Color tiles Schemas/graphic Equal sign
Rulers organizers Inequality signs
Number balance Graphs Words
Three- and two- Bar or strip diagram Tables
dimensional shapes Place value mat Letters as unknowns
Fraction pieces Number lines Ordered pairs
Decimal squares Hundreds chart
Percent necklace Grid paper
Two-color counters Tables
Cuisenaire Rods Virtual manipulatives
Connecting cubes Dynamic geometry
Graphs made from software
physical materials the Math Pact – Elementary, p 58
What does this look like?
What does this look like?

2 1 3 2 2 3 3
= = + = 47 + 34 = 81
8 4 6 4 8 6 4
Remember…

Reminder
US Standard Algorithm Mastery is not expected until:

Addition End of Grade 4

Subtraction End of Grade 4

Multiplication End of Grade 5

Division End of Grade 6

Your Turn…

You are now a second-grade student. You have

been working on addition and subtraction. In
addition, you have used base 10 blocks, number lines,
manipulatives, and expanded form to model
addition. You have learned that sometimes you must
regroup your ones or tens into tens or hundreds
because you can only have one digit in each place
value. So far in subtraction, you have subtracted with
no regrouping, but you have used expanded form,
number lines, base 10 blocks and other manipulatives.
Your Turn…

You are given the following two problems to solve.

How can you use Concrete-Semiconcrete-Abstract
representations to help support your learning?

Solve and show your thinking.

152
7 2 – 2 9 = ____ - 86

https://toytheater.com/category/teacher-tools/
https://www.coolmath4kids.com/manipulatives/base-ten-blocks
Something to Think About…

ALL students can benefit from

the CSA model or the inclusion
of manipulatives and variety of
representations to help deepen
mathematical understanding.
Manipulatives are not just for the
youngest students. Please make
them part of your regular
routines and have them
accessible for all students.
What are you going to change?

What is one change you

can make this school
year to help deepen
mathematical
understanding for your
students?
Asynchronous Professional Learning

https://www.maine.gov/doe/pl/math
Jen Robitaille
Office of Special Services,
Special Projects Team,
Mathematics Education/
Inclusive Education

jennifer.r.robitaille@maine.gov

(207) 215-4756