[Blindmath] Teaching calculation algorithms to blind students

[Susan Mooney]

Thank you, Bente Casile!!!!!

SM

On Thu, Apr 19, 2012 at 10:17 AM, <bente at casilenc.com> wrote:

> Li,
>
>   I am a math learning specialist at a community college and here is my
> opinion.  I would not recommend allowing any student to rely on only a
> calculator.  Eventually as children progress through our elementary,
> middle, high school, and college the mathematics becomes more complex.
> Students need to solve multi step problems.  They must have a way of
> keeping track of their progress toward a solution.  For sighted
> students that is paper and pencil (using the calculator to do the
> computation).  For blind students that is either Nemeth Braille code or
> technology.  Some students use computers with math software that can be
> read back using JAWS, a screen reader.  Calculators are good for
> computation, but they should be a tool that is used as necessary, not
> something to replace everything else.
>
> Bente J. Casile
> Math Learning Specialist
> Disability Support Services
> Wake Technical Community College
> Raleigh, NC
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  Hi all,
> >
> > I want to know more about how elementary general education math
> > teachers teach the standard algorithms (the vertical procedures used
> > by sighted students to do addition, subtraction, ..) to students with
> > complete blindness in inclusive classrooms. Since many general ed.
> > teachers do not use the abacus or braillewriter, how can they give
> > blind students direct instruction on calculation algorithms?
> >
> > Or, the calculation algorithms are left for itinerant TVIs. General
> > ed. math teachers only use some manipulatives to help students (both
> > sighted and blind) to understand calculation, probably from 1st to 3th
> > grade. When it comes to use pencil and paper and standard algorithms
> > to carry out calculations (more complex problems, probably for 4th or
> > 5th grade students), they do not directly teach blind students. Is
> > this true?
> >
> > I was even told that carrying out more complex calculation manually
> > using standard algorithms is not important any more. As long as
> > students understand calculation (probably using manipulatives), they
> > can use calculators. So, even for sighted students, they do not need
> > to do a lot of calculations using pencil and paper. Is this true?
> >
> > Thanks a lot.
> >
> > lz
> >
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>
>
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