Concrete-Representational-Abstract Instructional Approach

1
Concrete-Representational-Abstract Instructional
Approach

• Vicki Kurczodyna,
• Christin Cavanagh,
• Javier Curiel

2
What is It

• A 3 step instructional strategy
• Each step builds off of the other
• Used to explain concept of the problem before
  executing the problem
• Steps
• Concrete doing Stage
• Representational seeing Stage
• Abstract symbolic Stage

3
Concrete

• Teacher starts instruction of concept
• Teacher uses manipulatives to model
• Cubes, base-ten blocks, fraction bars
• Example
• The teacher uses cubes in 3 groups of 2 with each
  group a different color and explain this shows
  2x3.

4
Representational

• The teacher uses representations to model the
  problem
• Drawing pictures using circles, dots, and
  tallies
• Stage can be skipped if students can make the
  connection from the concrete to the concept.
• Example
• Students are given a picture with 2 oranges, 2
  apples, and 2 pears. The teacher asks how many
  groups of fruit are there, how much fruit is in
  each group, and how much is the total fruit.

5
Abstract

• The teacher uses numbers, notations, and
  mathematical symbols to explain the concept.
• Operation symbols used
• X,-,,/
• Example
• The teacher asks the students what 2x3 equals by
  using X as a representation of multiplication