1. Numicon Information Evening
EYFS and Year 1
Thursday 10th November 2016
©Oxford University Press 2015

2. What is Numicon?
Numicon is an approach to children’s mathematical learning that emphasises 3 key aspects:
Communicating mathematically (being active, illustrating, talking)
Exploring Relationships
Generalising
It is about multi-sensory, manipulative based teaching.
Much more than just the shape – it is an approach to children’s mathematical learning through the use of manipulatives/resources.
Learning from doing and Learning from seeing – which is how we know all children learn best.
Using children’s sense of pattern to our advantage.
Involves children doing the same core activities and then challenging or supporting where necessary. Supports the fairly new concept of ‘mastery’.
Supports reasoning throughout every lesson as children are encouraged to discuss patterns they can find, show methods using manipulatives or drawings and moves into written forms of calculation easily and clearly.
©Oxford University Press 2015

3. How does Numicon help? In two main ways:
It acknowledges that in order to understand what numbers are, children have to generalise and come across number and counting a range of ways.
It follows key teaching theories that using actions and imagery supports their communication and thinking.
Links between different ideas and concepts are made as number relationships are clear and can be visualised.
Understanding is easily applied and can be shown using the shapes and other manipulatives.
Mathematical language is developed as children are encouraged to communicate and show their answers using the resources.
Links in well with all other areas of the curriculum where we are encouraging talk to show understanding e.g. with talk for writing.
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4. Understanding concepts of number:
It can be quite difficult to explain to a child the mathematical concept of ‘five’.
But the Numicon shape for ‘five’ looks like ‘one less’ than six and ‘one more’ than four.
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5. How is the Numicon first introduced?
Through play ! Finding Numicon shapes in water, printing in playdough, finding shapes buried in the sand, printing with paint.
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6. Moving on to finding out what the shapes are worth and what they mean…
Pattern building – finding out about the sizes of the shapes and how they relate to each other.
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7. Moving on to finding out what the shapes are worth and what they mean…
Equivalence – the shapes are weighted to the same amount of pegs and ones and to each other as well e.g. 2 and 3 will weigh the same as 5 so this can be used when the children are ready to begin finding out about bonds.
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8. Moving on to finding out what the shapes are worth and what they mean…
Learning that the shapes represent a number – counting, using big shapes, making smaller versions of the shapes, visualising the shapes.
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9. Moving on to finding out what the shapes are worth and what they mean…
Building as a number line – looking at how the shapes get bigger, spotting the pattern of odd and even.
Matching numerals up to the Numicon shapes.
Playing games – swaps, making gaps, hiding one etc.
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10. Using the Numicon to support counting:
Finding out that you don’t need to count in ones.
Knowing number shapes to support counting – show this on the peg boards using pegs and then the shape on top.
©Oxford University Press 2015

11. CPA approach – concrete, pictorial, abstract.
Children always need to be able to verbalise before they record any thing and should use resources to show this.
Numicon would be used first to introduce a calculation – addition, subtraction, multiplication or division – further up the school. Range of manipulatives used to show this though predominantly the Numicon shapes initially.
Move on to informal jottings, number lines etc. then onto more formal methods.
Calculating
Always using concrete objects initially – Numicon shapes, objects, counters etc. Children need to be able to talk about what they are doing first.
Moving on to pictorial – drawing pictures to show what they have done, developing their reasoning and explaining.
Further up the school – looking at more abstract methods e.g. column methods.
©Oxford University Press 2015

12. Beginning to calculate:
Showing using Numicon and with picture problems – no real focus on the answer.
Using the numerals and beginning to say the answer they have found.
Introducing symbols, with actions.
Becoming more indpendent in generating number sentences e.g. with spinners dice – this is where the children enter into Year 1 with some having started simple guided recording in their books. Children are only moved on to recording when they can verbalise and discuss their calculation.
Year 1 – children move on to calculating with numbers up to 20, though the expectation by the end of the year is that they can count to and from Numicon used as initial tool for all new calculations and becomes more of a supporting tool as the children develop mental strategies and recall of known patterns e.g. when they start to remember their bonds or to add or subtract a single digit mentally.
Numicon is used as a practical method for children to show their understanding and to support their reasoning and explaining skills.
©Oxford University Press 2015

13. Using the rods:
Introduction of rods – same representation as the shapes but allow children to work with larger numbers to 100.
These are introduced in year 1 – we have already introduced them and the children have done play activities with these – similar to introducing the shapes.
Use these in the tracks to support practical calculation of numbers to 100 – this is the expectation for the end of year 2, though this manipulative is introduced in year 1 to allow for a smoother transition into the next year.
©Oxford University Press 2015

14. Numicon is not just for calculating with whole numbers – can be used for decimals and fractions further up the school. Used in a range of ways during the school day e.g. the snack shop in reception, when working with money or learning about time.
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15. The Transition into Year 2 and KS2
Numicon is continued to be used as an initial teaching and learning tool whenever a new concept is introduced and to revise where they have come from.
Manipulatives are used alongside written strategies and then removed when the children are confident – this includes Numicon, rods, place value counters, bead strings amongst others.
©Oxford University Press 2015