Concrete, Visual, Abstract (CVA) is a highly effective approach to teaching that develops a deep and sustainable understanding of maths in pupils.
The concrete stage of CVA
During this stage, students use concrete objects to model problems. With the CVA framework, abstract concepts are first introduced using physical concrete materials. Concrete materials are used frequently in primary schools but can still be used to support understanding in secondary education.
Concrete materials are ones that can by physically handles and/or counted e.g. Coins, Counters, Cubes or Numicons.
Visual Strategies
The next step in the CVA learning experience is to move away from the use of concrete resources to using images to visualise abstract concepts. This is the ‘seeing stage’ of the CVA method.
This stage encourages children to make a mental connection between the physical objects they have previously handled and the abstract concept they represent.
Building or drawing a model makes it easier for children to grasp difficult abstract concepts (for example, fractions).
Visual strategies used in SCHS include Bar Modelling, Multiplication Arrays and Empty Number Lines.
Understanding Abstract Concepts
Having now developed a sound understanding using concrete resources and visual strategies, pupils are now ready to tackle more abstract problems.
The ‘abstract’ stage is the more traditional and recognisable stage of CVA. Pupils will use symbols, letters and numbers to model calculations. This is where pupils can use more traditional working while having a sound understanding of what their calculations mean.
