Building Strong Numeracy Skills in your Child
Shows the progression of students numeracy skills from Kindergarten to Stage 3. By the time students reach Stage 3 they should know and use most of the strategies on the continuum. If a student doesn’t know a strategy they can not move on to the next stage of development.
Teachers plot students on the continuum using a variety of assessments. This shows teachers where students are up to and what strategies they need to work on to reach the next level of development. Teachers then plan their class lessons around the needs of the students in their class.
The range of mental strategies students use for addition and subtraction. Emergent Counting Perceptual Counting Figurative Counting Counting On Facile
Emergent Counting Beginning of Early Stage 1 Cannot count visible items Does not know number words Perceptual Counting End of Early Stage 1 Counts items using concrete materials Counts visible items to find the total Objects remain in view while counting
Figurative Counting Visualises concealed items and counts from 1. May use fingers if concealed items are greater than 10. Counting On and Back A number takes place of a completed count e.g ; 6 and 7,8,9,10,11. Fingers may be used when counting on. When students reach the counting on and back phase they can now begin to work on and understand place value. Facile Strategies Uses known facts, number structure and other non counting by ones strategies to solve number problems.
Doubles and near doubles E.g ; double 5 and add 2 Bridging to 10 E.g ; 17 and 3 is 20 and 2 more = 22 Jump strategy E.g
Split Strategy E.g = = = =79 At this stage the students are only beginning to use these strategies to mentally work the sums out. Students may rely on recording these strategies to find the answer.
Mental Strategies: Jump Strategy Split Strategy Compensation Strategy ; = 93; subtract 1 to obtain 92 Bridging the decade ; is 44; = 51 Using patterns to extend number facts 5 – 2 = 3; so 500 – 200 = 300
Using formal and written algorithms for two, three and four digit numbers.
By the beginning of Stage 3 students will have learnt all the necessary strategies needed to have strong numeracy skills in addition and subtraction. Stage 3 is about giving students the opportunity to reinforce and practise these known numeracy skills.
Websites: Gloucester Public School Website p.schools.nsw.edu.au/years/year-1/help-your-child- learn p.schools.nsw.edu.au/years/year-1/help-your-child- learn School A to Z Website study/mathematics/mathematics-tips study/mathematics/mathematics-tips
Ask questions! Talk about maths in short bursts. Early Stage 1 Get your child to count everything – the number of plates on the table, how many pegs are needed to hang up the washing, the number of apples to buy at the supermarket etc. Play games with dice – start with dot die. Look for numbers in the environment.
Stage 1 Play games with cards such as 21. Play dice games using number die. Start asking your child to think about ways to count faster e.g. counting on, counting by 2’s, counting by 5’s. Ask addition and subtraction questions e.g. Set the table for one person and ask your child to put out enough plates for everyone. Ask them how many more were needed. Ask your child to help you work out how many more items are needed when you are shopping. "I have six apples here, how many more will I get to make 10?"
Stage 2 and 3 Play games with dice and cards. Keep on asking questions to do with your child’s environment. At this stage start asking them how they got the answer when they are using mental strategies. Shopping in the supermarket is a great place to ask your child questions about mathematics, there are numbers everywhere!
A hands on workshop to be held at the beginning of next term. We will show you games and activities to use at home. Count Me In, Count Me In Too and Counting On activities. DENS 1and DENS 2 activities – developing efficient numeracy strategies.