Design of a teaching proposal using Cuisenaire rods for upper primary students with dyscalculia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/b9by5c70Keywords:
Cuisenaire rods; dyscalculia; primary education; instructional design; mathematics learning.Abstract
Mathematics learning among students with dyscalculia requires support that connects quantities, representations, and symbols through explicit and adaptable instruction. This article aims to design a teaching proposal using Cuisenaire rods for upper primary education, drawing on needs documented in a thesis conducted at the Lauro Damerval Ayora Educational Unit in Loja, Ecuador. A proposal-oriented documentary study combined analysis of the thesis, differentiation from a previously derived article, and a design-focused narrative review of 30 scientific articles published between 2022 and 2025, within the last five-year period. The synthesis distinguished evidence specifically concerning Cuisenaire rods, interventions for mathematics difficulties, and complementary contributions addressing cognition, participation, and family support. The resulting proposal comprises sixteen 35-minute sessions organized into eight learning units covering comparison, number composition, place value, operations, fractions, and word-problem solving. It incorporates teacher preparation, brief home practice, progression criteria, transfer assessment, and a protocol for future validation. Its contribution lies in translating previously documented educational needs into observable and revisable instructional decisions. The integration of manipulation, explanation, and symbolic representation provides a theoretically informed basis for contextualized piloting. No implementation outcomes are reported, and the effectiveness of the proposed sequence remains to be established empirically.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Evelyn Nicole Castillo Ortiz, Mireya Alexandra Cumbicos Romero, Julia Elizabeth Mendieta León (Autor/a)
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