Enablers and barriers to manipulative selection and integration in primary school place value teaching

Manipulatives are widely recognised as effective tools for simplifying abstract mathematical concepts, yet their integration into primary mathematics classrooms remains limited, particularly in resource-constrained contexts in the Global South. Existing literature has documented general benefits and barriers of manipulative use but has given limited attention to how teachers make decisions regarding manipulative selection within under-resourced primary classrooms. This study investigated the factors influencing the selection and integration of manipulatives in teaching place value among Grade 4 teachers in the Rundu Circuit, Kavango East Region, Namibia. Ten Grade 4 Mathematics teachers were purposively selected based on a minimum of two years teaching experience at Grade 4 level. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis of teachers’ lesson plans. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and categories within the data. The findings revealed that teacher preparedness, knowledge of learners, linguistic flexibility, and availability of the abacus constituted enabling factors, while overcrowded classrooms, insufficient professional development, inadequate resources, and time constraints emerged as significant barriers. These findings demonstrate that manipulative integration is shaped not only by resource availability but by teachers' beliefs, pedagogical content knowledge, and the structural conditions of their schools. The study contributes empirical evidence from the Global South to a predominantly Global North body of literature and provides data-driven recommendations regarding professional development, resource allocation, curriculum review, and time allocation to support effective place value teaching at the primary school level.