Summary: In this article, Stylianidou and Nardi investigate how a universally designed math task involving senses of touch and sight might benefit all learners in a classroom, not just those with visual impairments (for whom tactile adaptations are often targeted.) Observations presented in the article were from two students, one with a visual impairment and one without, in a grade 5 class. The task had the class close their eyes and describe shapes made out of Wikki Stix (Figure 1). Students were then asked to compare the bottom shape (a circle with a straight segment embedded into the circumference) to true circle shaped manipulatives of different sizes and colours. It was found that students could feel aspects of the shape that they could not differentiate visually - they saw a circle, but felt a section with a straight segment. This was contributed to tactile perception providing a gradual way of knowing "allowing the exploration of the object from its individual parts to its whole,” while visual perception is more wholistic, and “at once.” (p. 347) Furthermore, the visually impaired student demonstrated embodied imagination offering practical insights unique to their experience (imagining whether a shape would "roll" or "bob") that enriched the entire class's discourse. The key takeaway is that tactile tasks are not merely accommodations for disability but valuable learning tools for all learners to develop and deepen mathematical thinking. By universally using with the whole class, it also fosters a more inclusive and non-ableist environment.
Stop 1: The original shapes that students explored with their eyes closed were constructed of Wikki Stix “a flexible teaching tool made of wax and yarn.” (p. 346). I had not heard of these before, but they look fun and adaptable to lots of different activities. I might try ordering a few on Amazon (they also have many non-brand-name options) to try out. Have you used them for learning tasks before?
Stop 2: “Vison is wholistic and and touch is gradual, allowing for exploration of an object from its individual parts to a whole.” (p. 346) I really liked this articulation of why the non-visually impaired student constructed different meanings of the shape with vision vs touch. To the student the shape looked like a circle, but it did not feel like a circle because it had a flat spot. The student shared that touch exposed “hidden facts” about the shape. (p. 348) I feel like knowing this helps in designing when/how tactile learning opportunities may best fit into a lesson.
Stop 3: Stylianidou and Nardi cite Gallese and Lakoff (2005) for the term “embodied imagination.” Looking into this more, it is a concept used to describe how imagination is grounded in bodily experience. They say when we imagine we re-activate neural systems originally developed through body action and perception; therefore, imagination is not simply making things up, but simulating experiences shaped by live action.
Questions:
- Knowing that imagination/creativity are precursored by embodied experiences makes me want to include them even more! This article focuses on tactile experiences specifically, which I have not embedded into any of my math teaching before. Have you used any tactile learning in your math classrooms?
- I am noticing that embodied learning often involves purchased materials like Wikki Stix, various candies or food items, or other physical manipulatives. My school does not have a budget for our math department. Should I start advocating for one? How do you envision the cost of materials playing out in your workspace if this was a regular part of your practice?
Nichola,
ReplyDeleteI have not used those Wikki Stix or similar as a math manipulative but find myself quite intrigued at the possibilities for use!
The part of your writing that really connected for me this week, possibly as it is quite similar to a take away from my reading, was the positive learning consequence of employing tactile based learning for all students, not only those with impaired vision. I'm curious if this is something you are regularly doing at all in your current practice.
An activity I have done with students in the past involves some loose parts, and having them sort them based on attributes. It would be intriguing to include a blind sort into this to eliminate appearance to see if this would lead to any new categorizations.
I wanted to also comment on the part about imagination being grounded in bodily experience. One of our core competencies in the BC curriculum being linked to creative thinking, leads me down a similar thought pattern as you. How do I harness this new understanding and apply it to my mathematics teaching to encourage creative thinking in mathematics.
Does your school district have a budget for such things? You said the school doesn't, but perhaps there is a numeracy resource person who could support initiatives like embodied learning?
Many very interesting paths here! It's very interesting to experience and think about the differences across different sensory experiences, in space and time. Touch (sequentially with fingertips) happens a but at a time; but holding something like a bowl in both hands is a bit more all-at-once. Vision is often more holistic, scanning a whole scene all at once, but it is possible to use your eyes like fingertips, tracking along the edge of something, a bit at a time. Canadian media scholar Marshall McLuhan described auditory space paraphrasing Blaise Pascal:" A sphere whose centre is everywhere and whose edges are nowhere" -- a good description of our experience of hearing and smelling, but also of looking at a huge wall of Islamic tilings. Absolutely fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend Wiki Sticks (especially the extra long ones) for all kinds of mathematical explorations!
And in terms of budgeting for materials, which is always important: the best is if you and your students can forage some natural materials outdoors (sticks, acorns, pebbles, leaves,...) in a respectful way (i.e. don't clearcut or pull everything from a field or garden!), use those natural materials for your math explorations, and then return them to the ecosystem they came from. Many of the activities we usually do with expensive, sharp-cornered plastic manipulatives can also be done with available natural materials. Dollar stores can also be helpful in keeping costs low, although they have a lot of plastic stuff...
Embodied imagination is exactly what we're getting at in this course too!!
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