TOUCH-POINT MATH

Learning Strategies Assignment Maggie Kearns

Student

My student is a second grade girl with Down syndrome She performs very well using strategies, but has a hard time with memorization. She is able to count and write numbers from 050 I am able to work one-on-one with her each day for about 25-30 minutes for math

Touch Point Math What is it?

Touch point math uses dots on each numeral from 1-9 to represent the particular value of that numeral. There are single touch points that are one dot and there are double touch points which have a dot and a circle around it Addition problems are solved by counting up all of the touch points on the numerals, typically by beginning at the value of one of them

Rationale

I chose to use the touch point math strategy with my student because she was struggling with learning her math facts According to Cihak and Foust in 2008, students benefited from interventions emphasizing frequent feedback, explicit instruction, and ample drilling and practice, meaning that they benefitted more from this very strategic instruction rather than other methods of instruction, such as using number lines My student is able to write and count her numbers, which is a prerequisite for touch-point math

Advantages of Touch Point Math

Using touch points increases students abilities in single-digit addition problem-solving Touch point money is proved more effective than the use of number lines in single-digit addition Touch points can be successfully faded out to lead students to performing addition without the dots present (Cihak & Foust, 2008) Instruction is relatively easy and can be easily implemented into the curriculum It is a multisensory approach which allows the students to use multiple senses to identify the numbers Counting is being used to solve each problem so students get an idea of what the problems actually represent Students move from concrete to the representational and finally to the abstract phases of learning

Disadvantages of Touch Points

Students sometimes get confused during the learning process of the values of each number Students may often confuse the one-dot and two-dot representations by only counting one when there are two dots

Describe to Student

Describe to student that she will be learning to add together numbers by counting them up Review counting and writing the numbers up to 20 Explain how each number it going to have some dots, called touch points on it that we will be counting

Introduce the Touch Points 1-5

Use pictures and number lines to demonstrate the touch points on each numeral. Start with 1 and move up the numbers until 5. Model for the students how they will count the touch points on each number before moving on to the next higher number. Use your hand to locate each touch point and recite the numbers aloud. Once each number has been modeled, have the students practice counting the touch points with you, and then on their own

Gradually Add Problems

After the student is able to correctly count the touch points of each number, create addition problems using that number and any number already learned (example: if student is able to count the touch points of 3, use the numbers 1, 2, 3 in addition problems

Model for student how to do the problem by starting with the first number and then counting the touch points for the next one, both by pointing and saying the numbers aloud. Write the answer in the correct place. Have student join you in solving the next problem and continue until they are fluid enough to do it on their own Provide student with TouchMath single-digit addition work sheets with only problems using number 1-5 once all 5 are mastered.

Introduce the Double Touch Points

Once the student has mastered the single touch point numerals (1-5), introduce the double touch point through pictures and explanation of how when there is a circle around a dot, you count two Demonstrate on 6 what the double touch point looks like and how it is counted. Have students join in counting, and finally have them do it on their own Continue creating addition problems including each number that the student can count using touch points in the same manner as in the previous slide (Gradually Add Problems) Move on to the next number once student can proficiently count and add the number

Fading Out

The student continues to practice addition problems to gain fluency The touch points are gradually faded out of the problems so that they are only numbers Student will be able to count each number by knowing where each touch point would be, even though it is not physically there The student can continue to use the strategy as addition problems get more complex and other functions are introduced

Generalization

Single-digit addition problems with touch points will be presented to the student and faded out in multiple settings and formats so that the student can generalize the use of touch points across all settings and not just in this particular instructional setting.

Pretest/Posttest

The student is going to be given a written pretest with single-digit addition problems (no touch points) before any instruction occurs. The pretest will be scored by how many correct answers are provided divided by the total number of problems. A posttest in the same format as the pretest is going to be given at the end of instruction to determine if the student has successfully learned to add single-digit addition problems using touch points.

Determining the Pace

The instruction is going to be paced by the student. Observations will be used to determine if students are ready to move on to using the numbers in addition problems. Small written assessments with will be used after independent practice to determine if the student can successfully solve addition problems using the numbers that they have learned thus far. If the student demonstrates 90% accuracy on the slips, then they will move on to the next successive number

Reflection
How do you think this strategy would work in instruction? I believe that this strategy will work very well in instruction. I have seen it implemented before and the students have flourished because of it. Because I am able to provide such individualized attention to my student, we will get to work at her pace so that she can successfully work through learning her touch points, rather than getting rushed through without her truly understanding what it all means. Because she struggles with memorization, this will be a fantastic way to allow her to add together single-digits very fluently. She will also be able to continue using this strategy or similar strategies as she gets into more advanced math.

Reflection Continued

What adaptations were made to the strategy?

I made sure to make this strategy as individualized as possible. Because my student often works at a slow pace, I made sure to only move on to specific aspects when she is ready and able to do so. I am also using additional modeling, guided practice, and independent practice than would typically be used in order to ensure her understanding and so that she will be able to successfully use touch points

References

Cihak, D. F., & Foust, J. L. (2008). Comparing number lines and touch points
to teach addition facts to students with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 23(3), 131-137.

Pictures:

teachinghappilyeverafter.blogspot.com mathforum.org www.search-best-cartoon.com

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