Summary of Operation Metaphors

Here is a brief summary of all the metaphors associated with the 4 arithmetic operations.

Please spend some time in thinking about these various metaphors. Each of them will be dealt in detail in subsequent chapters.

Mimicking Metaphors Through Actions

Students in primary school may have difficulty in remembering these metaphors (life experiences) by their names. An easier way to remember them is by modelling them with our hands & other body parts. In this way, these metaphors are remembered through muscle memory.

Put Together can be modelled by starting with our hands apart, then bringing them in a coordinated motion to mimic the action of putting together somethings into a basket.

Take Away can be modelled by mimicking a hand holding a basket and the other hand moving as if it is removing something from the basket and putting it away.

More Than & Less than can be demonstrated by starting with both palms, facing upwards, at the same level and moving one of them to show it either rising (more than) or lowering (less than).

Comparing can be shown by keeping both palms, facing upwards, at the same level and then conveying the idea of comparing by mimicking the up & down motion of a balance.

Once they catch the idea, children can be very creative in inventing "actions" to mimic operation metaphors.