: Making numbers count! Gloucestershire Research School Making numbers count!
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Making numbers count!
Gloucestershire Research School Making numbers count!
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by Gloucestershire Research School at the Gloucestershire Learning Alliance
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Cariad Comfort
Gloucestershire Research School ELE (Professional Development)
Cariad has 17 years experience in education , working across key stages and including 9 years in Senior Leadership and Headship. She is currently in role as the Deputy Director of Odyssey Teaching School Hub, focusing on the development of Schools-Based Primary Teacher Training routes and the delivery of National Professional Qualifications. She is part of the GLA Trust School Improvement Team and has a passion for Early Years and Effective Professional Learning. Both roles bring capacity to develop networks and partnerships across schools in Gloucestershire, supporting the EEF mission of collaborative working to raise attainment for disadvantaged pupils.
“I can count to 5, Mummy” my 3‑year-old excitedly tells me in the car on the way home. “How many fingers do you have?” I ask. She eagerly counts, using her nose to tap her fingers, counting “1, 2, 3, 4, 5”. She clearly understood the process of reciting numbers in order but didn’t understand that when she stopped at number 5, she didn’t recognise she had 5 in total. This is common for children who have learnt the routine of stringing numbers together, often through song or rhymes. It will often however, mask the lack of understanding of the number system.
Mathematical Development Progressions
The EEFs guide to Improving mathematics in the early years and KS1 clearly defines the most effective approaches that have the biggest impact on children’s understanding of Early Mathematics. The Spiral resources demonstrate the complexities around Mathematical development, but show the different paths children could take in understanding different topics.
Improving mathematics in the early years and KS1 - Page 10
The evidence summary associated with this area of Mathematical understanding suggests that Teachers must choose the right moment in a child’s development to teach number sense, especially with regard to closing the attainment gap. It was also suggested that this teaching should take place as individualised and small group instruction. This is important to consider how explicit instruction is used to teach these fundamental concepts in our classrooms. The importance of Number Sense
Understanding Cardinality (the knowledge that the last number name counted, represents the total quantity of items) is crucial in number sense. Recognising numbers and what they represent is fundamental in their ability to understand mathematical concepts.
Subitising, the ability to recognise the number of items in a small set, is crucial in developing number sense. Once mastered, this skill helps children understand quantities and relationships between numbers intuitively. Through subitising, children learn to grasp strategies for addition and subtraction, recognising patterns and grouping numbers.
Number play
“What do I need to put in my Maths area?” is a question I have heard many times, and the short answer is… Maths, could and should be everywhere. Ideally manipulatives such as counting beads, tens frames and blocks should be available for open ended play. They help children to physically manipulate quantities and numbers, enhancing their understanding of patterns at a deeper level.
Picture books are a great way to develop number sense, reinforcing counting and routines for adding and subtracting for example. They are also a fantastic way of introducing real-life mathematical situations that can lead to problem solving discussions amongst peers.
Asking “what do you notice?” to children when engaging in discussion allows children to respond actively and openly with the resources before them. It promotes discussion, values all responses, and enables children to articulate their understanding and reasoning.
Useful Resources to support Number Sense
Picture books
Five/Tens frames
Part/Whole models
Numicon
Dice
Dominoes
Questions for reflection?
How do the children in your class demonstrate their ability to count accurately?
Are they able to explain how many there are in total using the last number counted?
Are they able to compare quantities?
Do they recognise that changing the order or configuration of objects does not affect the total?
Are the children able to recognise familiar patterns such as dice faces and state the number intuitively?
Can they recognise quantities of objects up to 5 or 10 at a glance in different arrangements?
What next?
Take a closer look at the EEF Early Years Toolkit and the following guidance report to reflect on your current practice and the children in your setting.
Education Endowment Foundation. (2020). Improving mathematics in Early Years and Key Stage 1, pp. 16 – 17. Available at: EEF_Maths_EY_KS1_Guidance_Report.pdf
