Rethinking Wikki Stix and Monkey String

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I originally posted about this resource on my assistive technology page. When I first found these wax covered pieces of string I intended to and solely for my vision students and neurodiverse students. I still regularly use them for these students, but I found a new use when I started using them in my ESOL classes.

     I inherited a few sets of supplies for maths related activities when I started teaching ESOL: some tens blocks, calculators, and some shapes. While these are useful and I did use them quite frequently, I wanted something that required students to create rather than simply identify. This particular year I had a class whose maths skills ranged from knowing basic algebra to never learning two digit addition. Further, many of these students were still learning basic vocabulary in English. The Wikki Stix/Monkey String, however, presented an excellent resource that got students active and creating, rather than simply memorising and identifying. Below you will find a quick list of ways you can use this resource in your ESOL classroom:

• multiplication/division - have students separate out and create the groups for a visual and tactile representation of a multiplication or division problem
• Shapes - have students race to create shapes using the string when they hear the shape name
• Numbers - have students race to create the number shape (8 as opposed to 8 sticks IIIIIIII) when they hear the number. (added bonus: this is a great way to include your vision students! While my vision student doesn't read the numbers the same way, they could feel the number the way I see it. They found this very fun and helpful). 
• tactile images - have students create tactile images of vocabulary words or sentences.
  
• rainbow and colours - students can sort them by colour and build a rainbow based on ROY G BIV.
  

What other ways can you use Wikki Stix/Monkey String to support ELLs?