Teacher in Ho Chi Minh City makes math models for blind students

To help visually impaired students visualize spatial geometry, Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Tam and her students spent 12 months researching and creating mathematical models.

Cô giáo nghiên cứu giúp học sinh khiếm thị hình dung hình học không gian - Ảnh 3. — Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Tam in a math class at Tran Phu High School (Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City) - Photo: NGOC PHUONG

Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Tam (Tran Phu High School, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City) said that during her teaching, she noticed that 11th grade students had many difficulties in imagining spatial geometry. For visually impaired students, this is even more difficult.

"We have built a set of realistic, intuitive, and vivid mathematical models. The model helps students visualize spatial geometry and thereby solve problems. For visually impaired students, the model can be held, grasped, built, and felt," said Ms. Tam.

The model set includes a wooden base (considered as a plane), nodes (as points), and strings (considered as edges). There are also antennas to make vertical prisms and oblique prisms that can change length and height. The model also includes spheres, ellipses, connectors, and cylinders…

After the model won third prize for student start-up ideas at the city level and second prize for student start-up ideas at the 6th national level, Ms. Tam and her students donated it to Nguyen Dinh Chieu Special High School (District 10, Ho Chi Minh City).

Nguyen Yen Khoa (student of Suong Nguyet Anh Secondary and High School, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City) shared: "I really like learning this model. My eyes cannot see, so when I learn, I can touch, feel, and imagine regular triangular pyramids and regular quadrilaterals. In addition, I also experience constructing shapes like doing exercises."

Cô giáo nghiên cứu giúp học sinh khiếm thị hình dung hình học không gian - Ảnh 1. — Blind students enjoy learning spatial geometry through models - Photo: NGOC PHUONG

Mr. Nguyen Viet Thang - a blind teacher at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Special School, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City - said: "Blind students cannot see or touch 2D planes when learning spatial shapes. Therefore, the subject requires models for them to directly contact, feel the space and enjoy the subject. The research team wrote the Braille letters on the model themselves. I am very happy and feel the love of the research team for blind students."

Cô giáo nghiên cứu giúp học sinh khiếm thị hình dung hình học không gian - Ảnh 2. — Mr. Nguyen Viet Thang - teacher at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Special School (District 10, Ho Chi Minh City) highly appreciated the research team's product - Photo: NGOC PHUONG

Học sinh khiếm thị thích thú học mô hình toán - Ảnh 3.

'Mobility guide' for visually impaired students

The image of a teacher holding the hand to guide each blind student up and down stairs, across the street, and avoiding obstacles... has become familiar to people on Nguyen Chi Thanh, An Duong Vuong, and Ngo Gia Tu streets...

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/co-giao-o-tp-hcm-lam-mo-hinh-toan-hoc-cho-tro-khiem-thi-20241204090501113.htm