Demystifying Area and Perimeter: A Practitioner’s Guide to Strategies That Work

Abstract

An understanding of concepts related to geometric measurement is considered to be critical to the development of individuals’ mathematics knowledge. Specifically, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel’s 2008 report listed the skills of area and perimeter as foundational for algebra readiness. Yet, this content knowledge continues to be an underdeveloped skill area for many school–age children and especially those with learning disabilities. This article provides educators with the following four strategies that are grounded in research and can be implemented during instruction on area and perimeter: (a) instruction using manipulatives, (b) focusing on salient variables within problems, (c) utilizing visual–chunking representations, and (d) incorporating contextualized scenarios and experiences.