What is the coloured rod set used for? – Examples from everyday practice

Abstract

The coloured rod set is a manipulative teaching tool that effectively supports the development of the mathematical thinking of children in preschool and early primary school. In Hungary, the use of the set was introduced by mathematics educator Tamás Varga, who adapted it with minor modifications to fit national pedagogical practice. As a result of his work, the coloured rod set became a key tool for playful, experiential learning and a teaching approach that progresses from the concrete to the abstract. Coloured rods continue to be an integral part of lower primary mathematics education today; they appear in teacher education programmes, curricular recommendations, and the methodological materials of contemporary textbooks. Their use aligns well with differentiated and discovery-based learning, as they support the understanding of mathematical concepts through hands-on experiences. The rods are suitable, among other things, for illustrating relations, deepening number sense and the concept of numbers, interpreting fractions and proportionality, and exploring basic arithmetical operations and their properties. In addition, they can contribute to the development of geometrical thinking through, for example, construction tasks and activities involving geometric shapes. This study explores the possibilities of using the coloured rod set in lower primary mathematics education through practical examples, with particular emphasis on supporting experiential learning and conceptual understanding.