[Blindmath] Blindmath Digest, Vol 69, Issue 13

Sat Apr 21 19:56:26 UTC 2012

I have an article on using the braillewriter as a calculation tool 
which can be found on the Texas School web site at
www.tsbvi.edu
Search for braillewriter as a calculation tool. I have tried to 
simplify the process.
Gaylen Kapperman
Northern Illinois University

At 09:02 PM 4/20/2012, you wrote:
>I teach high school math in a school for the blind and I see the results of
>students allowed to use calculators for math at a very young age-- they
>can't do anything simple without the calculator and this slows them down to
>a point that they can't do the math at an adequate speed and are never very
>good at math.  They also do not understand the more fundamental parts of
>how math works- finding common denominators, calculating simple problems
>combining positive and negative numbers, etc.  At the algebra level we
>expect them to be able to do those simple things quickly and easily.  If
>they can't, they frequently do not end up passing the class.
>
>Students in elementary math need to learn how to do the math by hand.
>There is a great tool to show a braille user fairly quickly how
>calculations are laid out visually and helps them to understand things like
>numerator and denominator, finding common denominators, etc.  It's the
>product called Math Window.  Hands-on manipulatives to show equal fractions
>are great too for getting the concept across, but at some point it is good
>for them to write it down using a braille writer (or the like) so that they
>can look at it immediately.
>
>Dr. Nemeth told me that he learned his math with sighted children when he
>went to school and that he values learning how it works visually because he
>could always understand what the teacher was teaching the other sighted
>kids, and he was not left behind.  We as teachers just have to be ready to
>show a multitude of ways to understand the math.  But in my opinion, the
>basic math skills are ciritical to getting to the next level and a
>calculator should not be handed to an elementary aged kid.
>
>Sincerely,
>Maylene Bird
>
>On Thu, Apr 19, 2012 at 12:00 PM, <blindmath-request at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
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> > than "Re: Contents of Blindmath digest..."
> >
> >
> > Today's Topics:
> >
> >   1. Teaching calculation algorithms to blind students (Li Zhou)
> >   2. Re: Teaching calculation algorithms to blind students
> >      (bente at casilenc.com)
> >   3. Re: Teaching calculation algorithms to blind students
> >      (Susan Mooney)
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 1
> > Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:52:52 -0500
> > From: Li Zhou <lzhou.backup at gmail.com>
> > To: blindmath at nfbnet.org
> > Subject: [Blindmath] Teaching calculation algorithms to blind students
> > Message-ID:
> >        <CAJX++jgka0-okDhSma0_m5=7=uLncQK+3=tAZ9pEOhdQQgEHcw at mail.gmail.com
> > >
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> >
> > 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
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 2
> > Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:17:34 -0400
> > From: bente at casilenc.com
> > To: "Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics"
> >        <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
> > Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Teaching calculation algorithms to blind
> >        students
> > Message-ID:
> >        <f31cb547f12296a75524d45648cfa67f.squirrel at emailmg.globat.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
> >
> > 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
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Blindmath mailing list
> > > Blindmath at nfbnet.org
> > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org
> > > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> > > Blindmath:
> > >
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/bente%40casilenc.com
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 3
> > Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:36:28 -0400
> > From: Susan Mooney <susanannemooney at gmail.com>
> > To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
> >        <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
> > Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Teaching calculation algorithms to blind
> >        students
> > Message-ID:
> >        <CAOh4ie9eecyCw9Oku5-iZ-FXrzMTUrD14ND9B0js8J45ZLa5GQ at mail.gmail.com
> > >
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> >
> > 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
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Blindmath mailing list
> > > > Blindmath at nfbnet.org
> > > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org
> > > > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> > > > Blindmath:
> > > >
> > >
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/bente%40casilenc.com
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Blindmath mailing list
> > > Blindmath at nfbnet.org
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> > > Blindmath:
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> > 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/susanannemooney%40gmail.com
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Be Here now.  Be someplace else later.  Is that so complicated? (Zen
> > Judaism)
> >  <http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/875661.Rumi>
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
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> > Blindmath mailing list
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> >
> > End of Blindmath Digest, Vol 69, Issue 13
> > *****************************************
> >
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