Mathematics, or math – is the study of numbers and how they are related to each other and to the real world. Math is as important as language. In fact, people sometimes describe math as a kind of language.
Multisensory Math is a different way of thinking about teaching math. It uses manipulative objects to teach the concepts of math. The instructional sequence is Concrete-Representational-Abtract which we refer to as CRSA. Hands-on instruction using concepts leads to the use of pictures to provide a kind of portable memory which supports processing at the abstract level which uses only numbers.
Though the use of manipulative objects is essential for some students, the object of using manipulatives is to get rid of them. Ultimately we want all of our students to be proficient in calculations and applications in mathematics. The underlying concepts must be clearly understood if students are to apply mathematics to a useful purpose. (Marilyn Zecher)