How familiar is it for a parent to say …. “but I wasn’t good at maths at school”.
Children are very quick to pick up on perceived negativity and by the age of seven most have labelled themselves good or not good at maths. As teachers, we therefore need to give Mathematics a very positive image and steer away from language such as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers. Also, we need to give children experiences of real life mathematical problems, highlighting how maths is placed and valued as a part of our everyday lives.
Another way we can support children in Mathematics is the use of manipulatives. Manipulatives are physical objects or materials that children can handle to help learn to count, calculate and solve problems.
One of the most successful approaches to the teaching of Mathematics is through Numicon. Numicon is so successful because it gives children a visual picture of numbers immediately which quickly leads children on to identify how numbers relate to each other, place value and the number system as a whole.
Number bonds
Children who are taught with Numicon hear and say associated mathematical language and are simultaneously able to use the visual cues from the image of the Numicon shapes. This is an entirely multi-sensory and positive experience that children have from the beginning of learning about numbers. Numicon imagery is used to bridge the gap that children may have from the real world to the abstract world of number.
Count, identify and order numbers
Sample printable material
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