Hi everyone,
I received a interesting email today from Tweedlewink about chunking here is a copy
- WHOLE BRAIN MATH “CHUNKING”
WITH BEADS, RODS, ABACUS AND MENTAL MATH
As you may know, the right brain is the part of the mind
that remembers using imagery. In Math, infants which are
in a holistic right-brain state, can see 55 dots and
remember that pattern with ease.
Carol had just opened her math flashcard set. It contained
cards depicting red dots from 1-50. She flashed the first
set to her 5-month-old son, Alexander, who was patiently
waiting in his bouncy chair.
“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!” she said as she flashed
each card.
To her great surprise, Alexandre lit up at the sight
of each one. He cooed with delight.
Then Carol looked down at her baby math book for further
instructions.
She held up the cards for 5 and 7.
“Where’s 5?” she asked.
Alexander looked at the 5 card.
Chills went up and down Carols spine. Was it a mistake?
Was it a fluke?
She flashed the cards again and then held up card 6 and 7.
“Where’s 7?” she smiled.
Alexander looked at her, smiling back.
“Hi, sweetie,” she giggled. “Where is 7, Alexander?”
she repeated after enjoying that loving moment.
Alexander looked at the 7 card.
Alexander’s experience is common, as most flashcard-toting
moms will tell you. What they will also tell you is that
although most infants will recognize the difference between
72 dots and 78 dots, they will not retain this ability
beyond the first three years.
Ask any mother who has faithfully done the Doman Program
(www.iahp.org) and they will attest to this.
Having been there ourselves, we know it’s true. But we’ve
also found a secret that helps keep the right brain’s
instant math quantity recognition ability open and active,
to a degree.
It’s called “chunking.”
“Chunking” is easy-to-remember visual groupings.
Chunking allows a child who has “bridged” to left-brain
thought to work with the images held deep within the more
subconscious, image-sensitive right brain.
Chunking is the foundation for the successful outpicturing
of mental math, photographic memory, speed reading.
We use it in our TweedleWink and Wink programs,
and here’s why…
David A. Sousa, author of “How the Brain Learns,” shares:
"The brain gradually expands the number of words it processes
at one time from a single word to two words, to a phrase,
and so on.
"During this process, fMRIs show increased activity in the
frontal lobes as working memory encodes the learning content
into higher capacity chunks. Chunking allows us to deal
with a few large blocks of information rather than many
small fragments.
“Problem solving involves the ability to access large amounts
of relevant knowledge from long-term memory for use in
working memory.”
The key to that skill is “chunking.” The more a person
is able to chunk in a particular area, the more expert
the person becomes."
Studies now confirm – and thank goodness for the
confirmation! – that chunking is valuable in learning,
especially when the chunking is combined with mental imagery.
Want to show math concepts in chunks? Then, fill your home
or classroom with objects that group quantities meaningfully –
with patterns, colors and play!
Here are some ideas of items that you can use:
- Montessori beads
- Cuisinaire rods
- Abacus
- Math counters (teddy bears, blocks, even cereal pieces)
- Dot cards
- Dominoes
- Dice
TIP: When chunking in math, remember that the left-brain
can see up to 6 dots comfortably, so when showing 7
as a chunk, show 6 + 1 so that the chunks can come together
and register as a new chunk within the brain.
Enjoy!
…
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“When I say it’s you I like, I’m talking about that part
of you that knows that life is far more than anything
you can ever see or hear or touch. That deep part of you
that allows you to stand for those things without which
humankind cannot survive. Love that conquers hate,
peace that rises triumphant over war, and justice
that proves more powerful than greed.”
– Fred Rogers
…
Thank you for reading Right Brain Kids at Heart.
Have a joyful month!
I was just wondering exactly what is chunking and can anybody elaboarate on this?