Hands-on Learning for a Bright Future
Every student has the potential to shine. Hands-on learning unleashes that potential, sparking the "Aha moments" a child will remember and build upon long after a lesson is over.
At ETA hand2mind, we know that
can challenge bright students to achieve more and help struggling learners find new ways to master complex concepts. We look forward to partnering with you – together, we can spark the love of learning with your students throughout 2013!
The Importance of Hands-On Learning
Hands-on learning with manipulatives has been utilized for many years to aid students in understanding abstract concepts and improve achievement. For over 40 years, ETA hand2mind has served as a trusted source of such materials, including some of the most recognizable, successful, and widely used hands-on learning products – Cuisenaire Rods®, Reading Rods®, and VersaTiles®. This timeless approach to instruction complements any method of teaching, fitting seamlessly into any curriculum. Active hands-on learning experiences enrich classroom instruction and provide a multi-faceted approach that lets teachers differentiate instruction and design lessons that complement each student’s learning style. By addressing the diversity of all learning styles and strengths, hands-on materials provide every student with an engaging opportunity to succeed in the classroom.
Why are hands-on materials so effective? Manipulatives are tools that let children think, perform, problem-solve, and make things happen while they are working toward a solution. It provides an important step in the evolution of children’s developmental skills and learning values. Children do their best work when they are encouraged to actively explore and interact with any hands-on learning process. With the right manipulatives, skills such as memory retention, reading, motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and learning awareness become enhanced and improved.
Research at different grade levels in several different countries confirm that educational achievement increases when manipulatives are used in the classroom. Educators have found that students make significant gains in these areas:
- verbalizing thinking
- discussing concepts and ideas
- relating real-world situations to educational symbolism
- working collaboratively with teachers and their peers
- thinking divergently to find a variety of ways to solve problems.
- expressing problems and solutions in a variety of ways
- making classroom presentations
- taking ownership of their learning experiences
- gaining confidence in their abilities to find solutions and answers on their own
Incorporating hands-on learning into every classroom lesson not only helps students grasp and retain concepts with greater ease, it makes the entire teaching process most effective.