CRA Foundations
What do the letters C R A stand for?
Concrete, Representational, Abstract
Concrete, Representational, Abstract.
What type of learners benefit most from the CRA approach?
Struggling students, ML students, students with learning difficulties.
Give an example of using the C and R for 6+2
Answers may vary. Using 6 counters and adding 2 more counters -> drawing 6 tallies and adding 2 more tallies.
Which stage uses manipulatives like counters or base-ten blocks?
Concrete
What manipulative could you use in the concrete stage for subtraction?
Answers may vary. Counters, base-ten blocks, cubes.
Why is CRA effective for math intervention?
It can build conceptual understanding and provide multiple entry points.
What visual could help a student with 14-8 in the Representational stage?
Answers may vary. Drawing pictures, number line, or a bar model.
Which stage uses drawings, tally marks, or pictures?
Representational
What's an example of a Representational activity for 13-7?
How does the CRA approach help students with math anxiety?
It can build confidence through hands-on and visual learning before numbers and symbols.
How does the Concrete stage support subtraction fluency?
By showing the physical hands-on action of "taking away"
In the abstract stage, what types of representations do students use?
Symbols and numbers (Ex: 9+3=12)
Why is it important to use all stages instead of teaching them seperately?
Students could think differently about each stage and not understand the relationships.
How can you tell if the CRA approach is helping students?
Data shows their scores improving in accuracy and fluency in math.
Why is the CRA approach helpful for addition and subtraction fluency?
Answers may vary. It helps develop number sense, helping students understand relationships with numbers, instead of just memorization drills.
What is the main goal of using the CRA approach?
Answers may vary. For students to move from hands-on learning to abstract problem solving. For students to build conceptual knowledge before memorization.
What is the transition from Representational to Abstract?
Connecting drawings to written equations using symbols and numbers.
What might happen if students don't have access to hands-on materials when using CRA?
Answers may vary. They might rely on guessing and might not make sense of math operations.
How do you know if a student has built conceptual knowledge for addition and subtraction fluency?
The student can explain and show the concept accurately by modeling drawings, using manipulatives, and using symbols.