Effect of teaching integers using visual materials on the sixth grade students’ mathematics achievement and retention levels

Accessing information is an adaptation process that organizes individual’s life, and knowledge is created socially (Lerman, 1989; Kilpatrick, 1987; Matthews, 1992, citation, Demirel, 2010). Learning takes place in a social environment (Vygotsky, 1978; Thompson and Thompson, 1994), and with the Constructivist approach, not only teachers and textbooks, but also students, teaching materials and activities started to gain importance in the learning environment (Alkan, 2005; Kazu and Yeşilyurt, 2008; Bohan and Shawaker, 1994; Clements and Mc Millen, 1996; Ross and Kurtz, 1993; Piaget, 1952). Defined as “different ways in which information can be delivered to learner”, teaching materials have many other definitions (Heinich et al, 1993; Moyer, 2001; Moyer, Bolyard and Spikell, 2002). Students experience difficulties in understanding the mathematical concepts in primary education (Bulut et al, 2001). Particularly the ‘integers’ subject is the one that is the most problematic (Dereli, 2008; Hayes and Stacey, 1990; Kilhamn, 2008; Körükcü, 2008). The fact that negative numbers cannot be observed in the physical world makes it difficult to learn the integers (Davidson, 1992; Mc Corkle, 2001).