Giving our young learnersthe Best possible Start in numeracy

Overview Mathematics Teaching and Learning Cycle DET numeracy programs – Count Me In Too CMIT), Best Start, Targeted Early Numeracy (TEN) Changes to the Early Numeracy Continuum Building Routines in the classroom Teaching Resources and internet links

Reflect on your current practice

How much of your teaching time is proportioned to mathematics?

How do you currently teach mathematics?

What documents do you currently use to inform planning, teaching and assessing?

Foundation Statements

Foundation Statements set out a clear picture of the knowledge, skills andunderstanding that each student should develop at each stage of primaryschool.

Mathematics K – 6 Syllabus

Embedded in all DET syllabus documents is an understanding that explicit and systematic teaching and learning will best occur when teachers follow the process articulated by the teaching and learning cycle.

Teaching and Learning Cycle• Discuss with a partner what

you think is in the Teaching and Learning cycle.

• Draw the Teaching and Learning cycle on a piece of paper.

Teaching and Learning Cycle

DET Numeracy Programs

Count Me In TooThe Count Me In Too (CMIT) numeracy program is an on-going initiative of the DET. The program melds findings from research about how children learn mathematics, with research on effective professional development.

Aim Help teachers understand children’s mathematical development. Improve children’s achievement in mathematics.

Count Me In Too

Count Me In Too

The transition from unitary strategies to collection-based strategies underpins the structure of the framework.

Teaching and Learning Cycle

Where are my students now?Best Start assesses students school entry skills and understandings.

It is the assessment and evaluation that drives planning & teaching. Careful planning creates the most appropriate teaching & learning activities to lift the students to the next level of understanding.

What do I want my students to learn?

How is my teaching program

going to cater for the students’

needs? The syllabus should be used to plan and program explicit teaching experiences.

Outcomes Scope and continuum Key ideas

How will my students get there?

What will I do to maximise

student learning opportunity to

meet the syllabus outcomes?

What will the students do (or produce) to demonstrate

attainment of syllabus outcomes?How well do I expect them to do?

How do I know when my students get there?

Consistent teacher judgement is essential. The value of your professional knowledge of the students. Continuous assessment

Have the students achieved the

syllabus outcomes?

2010 Best Start results

Emergent(Level 0)

Initial (10)(Level 1)

Intermediate (10)(Level 2)

Facile (10)(Level 3)

Facile (30)(Level 4)

Facile (100)(Level5)

7065 20,220 7,479 16,919 7,106 3,172

11.2% 32% 11.8% 26.8% 11.3% 5%

1A Forward number word sequences

Number of students not assessed1197 1.9%

Aspect 1: Counting Sequences

2010 Best Start results

Emergent(Level 0)

1 - 10(Level 1)

1 - 20(Level 2)

1 – 100(Level 3)

26,450 25,572 4896 5022

41.9% 40.5% 7.8% 8%

1B Numeral Identification

Number of students not assessed1218 1.8%

Aspect 1: Counting Sequences

2010 Best Start results

Emergent(0)

Perceptual(1)

Figurative(2)

Counting-on-and-back(3)

Facile (4)

25,681 29,602 5,320 1,097 203

40.7% 46.9% 8.4% 1.7% 0.3%

Aspect 2: Counting as a problem solving process – Early arithmetical strategies

Number of students not assessed1255 2%

Early Arithmetical Strategies (EAS)EmergentPerceptual Figurative Counting-on-and-backFacile

Linking EAS levels to the SyllabusEAS Level Description Syllabus link

Emergent Cannot count visible items. Does not know the number words or coordinate number words with items.

Working towards NES1.2

Perceptual Able to count perceived items. Builds numbers by using materials or fingers to find the total count.

NES1.2

Figurative Determines the total of two concealed groups but starts counting from “one” to do so.

NS1.2

Counting-on-and-back

Counts-on (or back) from a number rather than counting from “one” to solve addition and subtraction tasks. Has a sense that the count of one of the numbers has already occurred.

NS1.2

Facile Uses a range of non-count-by-one strategies such as use of doubles and near-doubles.

NS1.2NS2.2

Early Numeracy Continuum

Changes to the continuum

FNWS : Counts beyond 100 (NS2.1)

BNWS: Counts backwards from any number (NS2.1)

Counting sequences - verbal & written labels

Early Arithmetical Strategies – EAS

In the perceptual and figurative levels, the text has been rewritten in dot points so that it was easier to read.

The last 2 points from the facile level have been moved down to the aspect Pattern and number structure. The combinations to 10 and 20 are part-whole knowledge and are closely linked to patterning.

The ladder at Counting-on-and-back and in the first level in Place value is to show that the students must be at the Counting-on-and-back level to be on the Place value framework.

Changes to the continuum

Place value and Multiplication & division

Some of the text has been changed to dot points. Place value has been put before Multiplication & division.

Changes to the continuum

Targeted Early Numeracy (TEN)

The program recognises that a small percentage of students are at risk of numeracy failure, despite participation within a quality early numeracy program.

Teaching occurs within a normal daily lesson block, without withdrawal or an additional specialist teacher.

Early Arithmetical Strategies

The Early Arithmetical Strategies (EAS) aspect of the Best Start Early Numeracy Continuum underpins the assessment and teaching of the TEN program.

TEN targetsBroad targets have been set to assist teachers in identifying students for participation in the program:

Broad Kindergarten target

All Kindergarten students will have reached at least the perceptual counting stage in the range to 20 by the end of the year.

Broad Year 1 target

All Year 1 students will be at least able to show figurative counting across the decade by the end of the year.

Broad Year 2 target

All Year 2 students will be at least counting-on-and-back in the range to 30 by the end of the year.

Building classroom routinesFactors for consideration:

High repetition of activities.

Activities should occur throughout the day NOT only in the mathematics lesson.

Even though TEN concentrates on EAS, activities on other aspects such as FNWS and BNWS are also important.

TEN focuses on short, focussed and frequent sessions within the classroom, using activities designed to move these students to the next stage in the framework.

Short

Focussed

Frequent

How can the activities be a part of the teaching day?

Think about your class routine. What are some of the activities that occur within your classroom?

Short Sharp Frequent

DENS - Three minute lesson breakers

There are plenty of teachable moments in a day that don’t have to be written into your timetable.

What do you see as the biggest challenge for teachers?

Time for programming to cater for different ability groups Time to devise learning activities Time to create resources Time for classroom organisation

TIME

DET Resources

Curriculum Support

Programming SupportTeaching Resources

Where to next?

An effective numeracy lesson Creating Early Learning Plans

Differentiating learning objects

“There can be no doubt that the first three years of school (K – 2) have a profound effect on the rest of the child’s mathematical education, because it is in the first three years that the child first experiences success or failure, interest or boredom, challenge or frustration.

Bob Wright Mathematics in the Lower Primary Years

Mathematics Education Research Journal, 1994