1. Teaching in the early years
Joe Lockwood

2. In todays session;
Understand how children’s mathematical skills develop
Understand how curriculum subjects including core literacy, mathematics and science can be developed through cross curricula links
Identify a range of appropriate considerations when planning an early years session
Understand the necessary health and safety procedures involved in planning

3. Problem Solving, Reasoning & Numeracy

4. The Importance of Counting
Counting is a child’s first experience of number and maths
Learning to count can support understanding of the number system
It’s one tool for calculation strategies
Counting backwards is no more difficult than counting forwards
Counting should happen every day regularly (with a real-life context)

5. Alphabetland The new number names are A, B, C, D, …
You must not ‘translate’ these number names into the banned number names one, two, three…
Count together
Can you count by yourself?
Can you count from L to T?
Can you count back from G?
Can you count back from P?
Can you count in Bs?

6. Alphabetland – Subitising How many are here?
Links to conservation of number
Children need to practise ‘subitising’ (visual recognition of grouped patterns) in both regular (eg on a die) and irregular arrangements).

7. More and less concept
A child has a packet of sweets and eats them all. He asks for more. You give them 1-2 more sweets. The child sulks, as they were expecting another packet. Their understanding of more was more than original quantity (one whole packet), but you actually gave them less. It will take a while for children to fully understand the concepts of more and less.

8. Acquiring the language of number
A good game to play: 10 nice things
With a partner, choose 10 nice things
Take turns to roll the die
You are allowed to ask your partner for the number of things on your die roll
Try and keep track of the number of things that you and your partner have
The winner is the first to get all the things

9. The ‘How to Count’Principles
A short video explaining Galman and Gallistel’s (1978) ‘How to Count’principles, with a little help from Sesame Street……

10. Gelman And Gallistel (1978)
The ‘How to Count’ Principles
The 1-1 principle
The stable order principle
(the number system has a regular order. Children are able to count, but the correct order is not yet definite, eg, 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10)
The cardinal principle

11. Gelman And Gallistel (1978)
The ‘What to Count’ Principles
The abstract principle
The order-irrelevance principle

12. Oral Counting - development
Children will say numbers from a very early age.
Fuson identified 5 stages in the early development of the word sequence
String level – a continuous sound string (rote counting only; no idea of numerical value)
Unbreakable list level – separate words, but the sequence can’t be broken and always starts from 1
Breakable chain level – child learns to be able to start at any point which is essential if they are going to be able to count on (ie, has 4+1, they say “4, 5.”
Numerable chain level – sequence, count and cardinality are merged, so if you are counting from 3, then 3 is the first number, 4 is the second number…
Bi-directional chain – child can say the numbers in either direction and start at any point
Cardinality- In mathematics, the cardinality of a set is a measure of the "number of elements of the set". For example, the set A = {2, 4, 6} contains 3 elements, and therefore A has a cardinality of 3.

13. Oral Counting and Counting Objects
Recitation
Rote counting
Counting objects
Enumeration
Counting how many
Counting ‘things’ (though they can be abstract)

14. Making connections Haylock and Cockburn (2008) Symbols Language
Pictures
Concrete Experiences
Children cannot be proficient and good users of numbers, until they have all four areas. If they are not supported by staff and the environment, children will not become proficient.

15. Number Sense Challenges Numbers are abstract ideas
Numerals are arbitrary symbols
Where do you see numerals that do not relate to their numerical amount?
Traffic signs; does a 40 speed sign mean 40 signs/cars etc?
House number – does it means 33 people live there?
Children need to understand when numerals relate to quantity, and when not

16. Calculating
Do we have to wait until children are proficient at counting before we introduce them to calculating?
Calculating should be taught alongside counting.
Children can be calculating with amounts larger than they can count to (more and less)

17. Early Addition Skills in early addition Counting all
Counting on from the first number
Counting on from the larger number
Using a known addition fact (eg, 2+3=5)
Using a known fact to derive a new fact (eg, 2+3=5, so 2 and 3 more = 5, or 3+2=5)
Using knowledge of place value
Place value – the numerical value a digit has by virtue of its position in a number, ie the 5 in 50 or 5500

18. Addition Skills
Count all
1,2, ,5,6,7, = 8

19. Addition Skills
Count on
3…4,5,6,7,8 (“it’s eight”) 3… 6 7 5 4 8

20. Addition Skills Counting on from the largest number 3 + 5 =
5…6,7,8 (“eight”) 5… 6 7 8

21. Calculating In conclusion:
Structured imagery can support children in developing early calculation skills and can support children in learning to calculate without counting
Children need to be supported in developing counting on strategies for themselves

22. Real-life maths Cooking (measuring, timing, temperature) Gardening
DIY (measurements, electrical wattage)
Shopping (money)

23. Some issues to consider when using and applying mathematics
The activity needs to be real for the individual child
This will vary from child to child
The activity needs to motivate the child
We need to:
Be clear about the specific mathematics we are teaching
Identify, build on and reinforce existing skills
Help the child to see the mathematics
Be able and help the child make links within the mathematics and across a variety of scenarios
Don’t forget to make it FUN!!

24. What do we need to consider when planning for teaching in the early years?
Work on your own, list all the things you may need to take into consideration. One point per post it note – 5 mins
Work with a partner, share your ideas. Had they considered different areas? What were the similarities? Can you group the points into different categories and give them headings? – 5 mins
Whole group feedback to compile a central list – 5 mins

25. Task
Working in groups, you will plan a micro-teach session to deliver to the rest of the group. You should both make equal contributions.
Your session should last approximately 15 minutes
You will teach the rest of the class about how the curriculum area you have been given to investigate can be developed through a cross-curricular approach. This could be general or a specific example, and could include tasks and activities
A range of creative materials will be made available for your use