Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA)
Overview
CRA is a sequential instructional approach during which students move from working with concrete materials to creating representational drawings to using abstract symbols. Using this concrete-representational-abstract sequence helps students develop the thorough mental representations that are foundational for conceptual understanding.
Example: Use This Strategy in the Classroom
Watch how CRA can be used to teach difficult math concepts. By using n-boxes, the students begin to understand algebraic expressions.
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Learn how ST Math uses CRA to build mathematical understanding. All math concepts are first presented visually in games requiring digital manipulation of objects. As students progress, the math symbols are slowly introduced until a student sees the full equation represented in the game they are playing.
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
More Instructional Approaches Strategies
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Using multiple methods of assessment can help educators gain a comprehensive understanding of learner progress across a wide range of skills and content.
When teachers connect math to the students' world, students see how math is relevant and applicable to their daily lives.
A strengths-based approach is one where educators intentionally identify, communicate, and harness students' assets, across many aspects of the whole child, in order to empower them to flourish.
Untimed tests provide students the opportunity to flexibly and productively work with numbers, further developing their problem-solving abilities.
Writing that encourages students to articulate their understanding of math concepts or explain math ideas helps deepen students' mathematical understanding.
