A strong foundation in early number concepts is critical for students' future success in mathematics. Research suggests that visual representations, like a number line, support students' development of number sense by helping them create a mental representation of the order and magnitude of numbers. In addition, explicitly sequencing instruction…

Differentiating instruction can be difficult, however, when higher performing students yearn to be stretched and lower performing students benefit from scaffolded support. One way to meet these students' learning needs and everyone in-between is to embrace the notion of novel exploration in support of critical school mathematics concepts. Novelty…

As a teacher, author Verity Jones found for many years that the science knowledge and understanding of the children she taught in year 6 (age 10-11) was being compromised by the pressures of a government focus on maths and literacy and a short-sighted approach to how to teach those subjects in a cross-curricular way. As the science coordinator for…

This author agrees with the sentiments of John Hibbs' article "Was there ever any point to the three-part lesson?" (MT219). In particular the author fully supports a flexible approach to the structure of lessons. There are two interesting questions that arise from Hibbs' article: (1) Are there reasons for the large-scale adherence of teachers to…

This article presents a lesson that focuses on numeracy. In the lesson, students were tasked to find the best path for a new expressway. The purpose of the activity was for students to gain an appreciation of the complexities associated with designing public infrastructure and to put into practice the mathematical skills. This article also…

Just as athletes stretch their muscles before every game and musicians play scales to keep their technique in tune, mathematical thinkers and problem solvers can benefit from daily warm-up exercises. Jessica Shumway has developed a series of routines designed to help young students internalize and deepen their facility with numbers. The daily use…

Describes National Numeracy Strategy (NNS) and National Literacy Strategy (NLS) in England. Presents a lesson plan to discuss pre- and post-NNS. Emphasizes that NNS represents not only a change in pedagogy, but also something of a sea-change in terms of the assumptions about children's learning underpinning traditional mathematics education. (ASK)

Describes a project in which students explore the Inka data recording system of knotted cords called quipus to reinforce understanding of place value. (YDS)

While attending a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course, this author was provided with the time and encouragement to try out different activities, styles, and strategies of teaching. She used this time to develop numeracy starter lessons with Y7 students, spending two weeks with each of four sets of students. She decided from the…

This package contains student and teacher handbooks and a report summarizing a project during which the handbooks were developed as part of a numeracy education course for adult basic and literacy education students. Discussed in the project report are the following: development of the course's 7 numeracy education units, field testing of the…

This document consists of the final report and sample curricula from the Rural Textile Workers Literacy Enhancement Project. The final report details how the project was initiated in April 1993 to help employees of five textile and apparel manufacturing companies in southeastern Alabama improve their literacy and numeracy skills. A second…

The College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois, formed an educational and business partnership with four area businesses to design and implement workplace literacy programs targeted to the needs of each business. The project's four objectives were as follows: develop a model of cooperation between a community college and the business community…

This document describes the Maryland Hospital Skills Enhancement Program, a collaborative effort of the Maryland Hospital Association, Essex Community College, and three Maryland hospitals that was designed to improve the literacy/basic education skills of hospital employees in 11 targeted service occupations. Two curriculum models were used:…