I am teacher of students with autism spectrum disorders in grades 3-5. In our classroom we have many hands on activities that will help them to learn numbers, counting, and addition. However, we have few manipulatives in the classroom to help students learn concepts beyond the basics.
Most of my students are older and have learned to count, add, subtract all with manipulatives and stories. Now that they are learning more difficult concepts the manipulatives are no longer available to them due to lack of funding. These are children that are visual hands on learners. Students with autism need to see things in the concrete form before understanding and moving to the abstract level. Math does not come as easy to most people with autism as some believe and they need a hands on experience to fully comprehend it.
Using math manipulatives for things such as fractions, place value, and decimals will allow the students to get the hands on experience they greatly need to make math skills concrete in their thinking.
Your support will enable students with autism to gain math skills that are needed in everyday life. Through the use of these resources students may gain skills that will potentially help them become employed once they have finished school.
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