Teaching and learning with concrete-pictorial-abstract sequence: A proposed model

Abstract

The Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (C-P-A) sequence is a key instructional strategy for the development of primary mathematics concepts in Singapore. However, the way to go about teaching and learning with the C-P-A sequence is unclear. As a result, the benefits of this sequence cannot be fully capitalized. This paper aims to (1) expound from learning theories of Bruner, Dienes and Piaget, and literature on representations, how learning takes place with representations and (2) using the insights gleaned, propose how teaching with representations looks like. It concludes with segments of a series of classroom lesson plans crafted using the proposed model of teaching and learning with representations for the concept of equivalent fractions in Primary Three.