Instructional Materials for Elementary Mathematics, Final Report of the Regional Training Workshop for the Development of Materials for Mathematics Education in Asia and the Pacific.

This document is the final report of the Regional Training Workshop for the Development of Materials for Mathematics Education in Asia and the Pacific, using a problem-solving approach. The workshop was committed to identifying materials which are readily available at low cost, in sufficient quantities to be used by children in classrooms in any country within the region. In the introductory chapter, the objectives and procedures of the workshop are described. Chapter 2 discusses priorities in teaching and learning. Research and the rationale for using materials, what a problem-solving approach means, key topics, and materials to be used are described. In chapter 3, lesson plans for eight key topics illustrate the development of problem-solving strategies and attitudes through the use of concrete and semi-concrete materials. Four lesson plans are then provided in which the content area is subordinate to the major focus on problem solving. Chapter 4 highlights strategies to encourage the use of instructional materials. Appendices include responses to a questionnaire concerning the mathematics curriculum, background information on manipulative materials, and a summary of their expected role. (MNS)