Allowing students to work hands-on while learning gives them use of another sense that will be geared toward the learning experience besides just listening and watching the teacher. It will make the material they are learning more memorable as well as give them a visualization that they can refer back to when solving a problem. If the students are able to use manipulatives to obtain an answer to a question, it usually means that they have grasped the entire concept, not simply memorized an algorithm. The students will then also be able to apply their ability to draw representations to solve other problems which relates directly back to them practicing with the manipulatives.
Always requiring students to justify their work will allow the teacher to see if the use of manipulatives was helpful or influenced the student's reasoning behind solving a particular problem. Also, when students work in groups, it is important for each student to individually turn in a completed task so that they get practice writing down the steps or creating justifications for the answer that the group reached. The teacher needs to make sure to observe the students during group work to ensure that all members are participating and gaining valuable knowledge while working with their peers.
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