I enjoyed this article about comparing the way American v. Asian students are taught math. And it said that in Asia students don't rely so much on manipulatives and instead concentrate on visualization.

I'm curious because isn't RightStart Math a manipulative-based program? It looks like in the package there are lots of manipulatives.

I would appreciate your comments on this.

Thanks.
Lisa

Hi Lisa,

The manipulatives used in the RightStart curriculum are carefully chosen to help the child form a mental image of the concept. The AL Abacus gives a view of how numbers are organized, the fraction chart shows the world of fractions, the math balance demonstrates equations, the inch tiles and centimeter cubes are actual measuring devices, while the drawing board set is a tool for drawing, not really a manipulative.

In other words, manipulatives must be meaningful. Not all manipulatives used in education are meaningful, represent the number system or are easy to manage. These are three criteria for a good manipulative. Thankfully, RightStart meets this criteria and more.

Thank you for your question. We appreciate the opportunity to answer questions regarding the RightStart curriculum.

Sincerely, Rosine