People with WS performed better than the control group at reading numbers, suggesting that verbal math skills may be comparatively strong in WS (O'Hearn and Landeau, 2007).
Examples of verbal math are language centered - such as naming and identifying numbers, counting including counting by 5 and 10s. Also, WS children tend to be able to memorize basic math facts. |
WS students have disturbances in visual-spatial-motor organization, which may result in weak or lacking understanding of concepts, very poor "number sense," specific difficulty with pictorial representations and/or poorly controlled handwriting and confused arrangements of numerals and signs on the page.
Examples of spatial math would be recognizing relationships between numbers such as using number lines, greater-than versus less-than, estimating amounts, money and telling time.
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These student require a very heavy emphasis on precise and clear verbal descriptions. They seem to benefit from substituting verbal constructions for the intuitive/spatial/relational understanding they lack.
The approach to learning mathematics should be language centered. The following books "The verbal math lesson- Step by Step Math without a pencil or paper" are highly recommended for students will Williams Syndrome.
The approach to learning mathematics should be language centered. The following books "The verbal math lesson- Step by Step Math without a pencil or paper" are highly recommended for students will Williams Syndrome.
The WS student generally have visuo-spatial difficulties.
In fact, this group is specifically in need of remediation in the area of picture interpretation, diagram and graph reading, and nonverbal social cues. |
They have the ability to learn through actual "hands-on" experience.
A hands-on component to learning experiences can often help children with Williams syndrome sustain attention.
To develop an understanding of math concepts, it may be useful to make repeated use of concrete teaching materials (e.g. Cuisenaire rods or Stern blocks), with conscientious attention to developing stable verbal renditions of each quantity (e.g., 5), relationship (e.g., 5 is less than 7), and action (e.g., 5+2=7).
Since understanding visual relationships and organization is difficult for these students, it is important to anchor verbal constructions in repeated experiences with structured materials that can be felt, seen, and moved around as they are talked about.
For example, they may be better able to learn to identify triangles by holding a triangular block and saying to themselves, "A triangle has three sides. When we draw it, it has three connected lines."
The goal for these students is to construct a strong verbal model for quantities and their relationships in place of the visual-spatial mental representation that most people develop. Consistent descriptive verbalizations also need to become firmly established in regard to when to apply math procedures and how to carry out the steps of written computation. Great patience and verbal repetition are required to make small incremental steps.
A hands-on component to learning experiences can often help children with Williams syndrome sustain attention.
To develop an understanding of math concepts, it may be useful to make repeated use of concrete teaching materials (e.g. Cuisenaire rods or Stern blocks), with conscientious attention to developing stable verbal renditions of each quantity (e.g., 5), relationship (e.g., 5 is less than 7), and action (e.g., 5+2=7).
Since understanding visual relationships and organization is difficult for these students, it is important to anchor verbal constructions in repeated experiences with structured materials that can be felt, seen, and moved around as they are talked about.
For example, they may be better able to learn to identify triangles by holding a triangular block and saying to themselves, "A triangle has three sides. When we draw it, it has three connected lines."
The goal for these students is to construct a strong verbal model for quantities and their relationships in place of the visual-spatial mental representation that most people develop. Consistent descriptive verbalizations also need to become firmly established in regard to when to apply math procedures and how to carry out the steps of written computation. Great patience and verbal repetition are required to make small incremental steps.
Cuisenaire Rods are colored wooden or plastic rods that have values from
one to ten and are colored by the number they represent:
White rod = 1 cm.
Red rod = 2 cm.
Light green rod = 3 cm.
Lavender rod = 4 cm.
Yellow rod = 5 cm.
Dark green rod = 6 cm.
Black rod = 7 cm.
Brown rod = 8 cm.
Blue rod = 9 cm.
Orange rod = 10 cm.
Cuisenaire Rods can be used for:
one to ten and are colored by the number they represent:
White rod = 1 cm.
Red rod = 2 cm.
Light green rod = 3 cm.
Lavender rod = 4 cm.
Yellow rod = 5 cm.
Dark green rod = 6 cm.
Black rod = 7 cm.
Brown rod = 8 cm.
Blue rod = 9 cm.
Orange rod = 10 cm.
Cuisenaire Rods can be used for:
- Probability and statistics
- Ratios, proportions
- Fractions
- Addition
- Subtraction
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Hand2mind.com,. (2004). Benefits of Manipulatives - ETA hand2mind. Retrieved 27 July 2015, from http://www.hand2mind.com/resources/benefitsofmanipulatives#classroom
O'Hearn, K., & Luna, B. (2009). Mathematical skills in Williams syndrome: Insight into the importance of underlying representations. Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 15(1), 11-20. doi:10.1002/ddrr.47
The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario,. (2015). Visual-Spatial Processing. Retrieved 28 July 2015, from http://www.etfo.ca/Multimedia/Webcasts/SpecialEducation/Pages/Visual-Spatial%20Processing.aspx
O'Hearn, K., & Luna, B. (2009). Mathematical skills in Williams syndrome: Insight into the importance of underlying representations. Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 15(1), 11-20. doi:10.1002/ddrr.47
The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario,. (2015). Visual-Spatial Processing. Retrieved 28 July 2015, from http://www.etfo.ca/Multimedia/Webcasts/SpecialEducation/Pages/Visual-Spatial%20Processing.aspx