This paper reports on the effect of using a concrete-method in the teaching and learning of integers in the Pixley Kaseme education district in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa to grade 7 learners. The concrete-method simplifies the procedure and the laws to calculate the integers using representations which slightly differs to the way sign rules are used in mathematics. This quantitative paper reports on the quasi-experimental research design which used the treatment group and the control groups. Two teachers’ two groups, one for the concrete-method while the other teacher for the sign rules. Cronbach alpha was used to calculate the reliability of the sign rules test and was 0,702, while the concrete method test reliability was 0.8479 and these values were deemed acceptable and reliable. The findings revealed a difference in performance between the sign rules and the concrete method on the posttest scores. The findings also revealed that the concrete-method had little effect on the teaching and learning of integers as compared to the sign rules. The study recommends the use of C-method as an alternative to the concrete method, hoping that it would yield better results.

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