222 Trends in Primary and Secondary School Mathematics Education CHAPTER 21 USE OF MANIPULATIVES FOR MATHEMATICS TEACHING AND LEARNING S.M.Adegboyega J.C.Amadi I.B.Taley H.I.Bukari Executive Summary Improved conceptual understanding of mathematics among learners can only be achieved through the use of manipulatives in the classroom. The use of manipulatives in mathematics education is critical for improving students' conceptual knowledge of the subject. This study examined broad ideas that evolved from research on how to assure the efficient and effective use of manipulatives in mathematics teaching and learning, as well as the factors that limit manipulative usage in mathematics instruction. The study revealed a link between pedagogical knowledge, subject knowledge, and ICT integration for the successful use of manipulatives in mathematical instructions and discourse. Introduction Manipulatives are tangible mathematical instruments that allow students to learn through experience. Mathematics teachers can utilize manipulatives to capture students' interest, help them envision what they are doing (explain abstract concepts), and involve them in hands-on activities. Manipulatives have long been acknowledged as valuable mathematical tools for delivering hands-on learning through tangible objects (Uribe- Florez & Wilkins, 2010; Burns & Hamm, 2011), and research has demonstrated that manipulatives have a positive impact on students' learning and mathematical achievement in contrast to the traditional way of mathematics instruction. According to research, the use of manipulatives that are adequately integrated into the lesson can only improve mathematics teaching and learning. Good teaching practice is intrinsically tied to the use of manipulatives. Considering the pedagogical issues, it is clear that, despite the much-discussed modern approach, the traditional classroom style prevails in practically all Nigerian institutions. The teacher continues to be in charge of the learning process; content is provided to the entire class, and the teacher favours factual knowledge (Charles-Ogan & Amadi, 2017). The use of manipulatives to assist learners in solving elementary mathematical problems dates back to ancient times; for example, the Middle East employed counting boards, which the Romans used to construct the world's first abacus. This is the first counting and calculating the machine invented around 500 BC. It is made up of strings or wires, frames and beads. A modern abacus consists of rings that slide over rods, but the older one pictured around the right dates from the time when pebbles were used for counting. The modern abacus uses slides (sliding beads; the beginning of the use of 21 st -century slides) in columns that are divided into two by a centre bar which is the real representation of five fingers in a hand. The abacus was used for arithmetic tasks such as the addition and subtraction of numbers, (Adegboyega & Adeoluwa, 2020). These took the shape of