Learning mathematics is an experience that can be very fun. However, some students approach the exercises with a different expectation. This is what happens when they feel that the challenge is excessively complex and boring. The learning of the subject is enriched with methods such as the one we discuss in Formación y Estudios. The Number-Based Algorithm Method is one of the proposals that encourages innovation in the classroom.
It should be noted that it is an initiative carried out by Jaime Martínez Montero. It should be noted that he is a professional with extensive experience in the field of education. He has a Doctor in Philosophy and Educational Sciences. Throughout his career he has published different books.
Books about the ABN Method to learn mathematics
The book Teach math with the ABN Method: in 4th, 5th and 6th grade and preparation for ESO it provides valuable information and practical mental calculation tools. Another publication that delves into this topic is Enrichment of mathematical learning in preschool and primary school with the ABN method. The content of the pages can become a practical guide to understand all the keys to the method mentioned and enhance its application in the classroom. That is, it offers a look that goes beyond the conventional approach to mathematics. The skills that the student acquires in the mathematical field have an application in different tasks of daily life. Well, this method is mainly aligned with a specific skill: calculation.
What is one of the aspects that characterizes this method at the level of experience? The practical approach of the proposal enhances the use of everyday materials and objects. That is, the student has the opportunity to manipulate different resources. The student has the possibility of using everyday ingredients. The ABN method differs from traditional mathematics in one important issue.. There is no single way to move forward towards solving an exercise because the process is more open, creative and flexible.
Advantages of using manipulative materials
As the student uses manipulative materials to solve the exercise, mathematics takes on a visual form. And, on the other hand, the ABN method also highlights the resolution of dynamics that are related to daily life. In short, prioritize those situations and examples that are familiar and everyday to the student. It is an innovative method that unifies learning and the development of valuable skills through a fun process (and adapted to the pace and needs of each student). The use of manipulative materials is decisive to visualize the keys to mathematical calculation in relation to the how and why of each step.
Jaime Martínez Montero, creator of the method we have delved into in the article, is a reference in the educational field. During the academic year that falls between 1988 and 1989, he collaborated as an associate professor at the Cadiz University. Throughout his career as a university professor he has also participated in different doctoral courses. Well, the method mentioned in the article is innovative in relation to the calculation due to its open nature. That is, it is a methodology that is based mainly on numbers. The student has the possibility of discovering and understanding the keys to the analyzed process as a whole and the parts that compose it.
Although the ABN method was created around 2008 and, consequently, has a recent period of life, it has already left its mark in many classrooms and schools that have integrated the proposal into the teaching and learning process.