Abstract
Commentary: A pointer about grasping numbers.
Highlights
Edited by: Andrea Bender, University of Bergen, Norway Reviewed by: Samar Zebian, Lebanese American University, Lebanon
The children in Novack et al.’s study saw single equations of the form “2 + 9 + 4 = __ + 4” written on a whiteboard; all number symbols were covered with matching number magnets
They learned one of three strategies to equate both sides of such equations: (1) action: children in this group picked up those two magnets whose shapes differed from the right-side digit and moved them from the left side of the equation into the placeholder position on the right side; or (2) concrete gesture: these children pantomimed the action described in (1) without physically moving the magnets; or (3) abstract gesture: children in this group pointed with the fingers of one hand to the two digits on the left side and to the placeholder
Summary
Edited by: Andrea Bender, University of Bergen, Norway Reviewed by: Samar Zebian, Lebanese American University, Lebanon. In sharp contrast, Novack et al (2014) recently claimed that mere gesturing supersedes the value of physical object manipulation for mathematical learning.
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