Finger tracing enhances student performance in math

Interesting article on using fingers profiency in maths

Tests revealed students who used their finger to trace over practice examples while simultaneously reading geometry or arithmetic material were able to complete tasks more quickly and correctly than those who did not use the same technique. Schoolkids who used finger tracing fared better with previously unseen geometry and algebra questions, new research has found. Studies involving 275 Sydney school children aged between nine and 13 found that tracing over elements of maths problems enhanced how they understood and solved problems in geometry and algebra.

Dr Ginns, and co-researchers Professor Janette Bobis, Dr Fang-Tzu Hu and Erin Byrne, believe using an index finger to physically touch and trace the angles of a triangle, for example, can result in that information receiving processing priority in the brain. Doing so may reduce the load on working memory and its ability to retain complex material by ‘chunking’ information together.

Full article at –
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160129131756.htm