In order to investigate pre-service teachers (PSTs') understandings of the terms mathematics and numeracy, the authors conducted a study at one Australian university. The PSTs were enrolled in a mandatory unit about numeracy across the curriculum, in which both teachers' and students' numeracy capabilities were considered. The study took place…

Number fact knowledge spans far beyond conventional automatic mastery practices involving rote learning. Having the ability to automatically recall number facts fluently does not mean students will have strong conceptual understanding. This article provides suggestions for how number fact thinking and fluency might be developed in primary…

In this article, the authors suggest a number of ways in which NAPLAN could be made into a more engaging and enriching experience for both teachers and students. They highlight the importance of making productive errors in the interests of furthering learning. The authors share the journey they have taken as they attempted to get their teeth into…

The authors share the results of a research project involving the use of mathematics to develop students' Numeracy General Capabilities. The current article delves into an example of a teacher supporting 'good habits of mind' through focussing on the Critical Learning Disposition of accuracy.

In the USA, the Common Core Standards in Mathematics for the early grades (K-3) are designed to build on and develop students' number sense as students gain understanding of the structures of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It is well understood in teaching circles that subtraction is notoriously more difficult for students…

In order to solve word problems, students need to be able not just to read the words but comprehend what they mean. Paul Swan discusses three tiers of vocabulary that need to be included in the pedagogy of mathematics lessons and strategies for classroom practice.

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…

The importance and usefulness of building on perceptual subitising and the development of conceptual subitising is explained. A guide on how to continue to develop numerical ideas based on subitising is shared.

Using a game-based context and concentrating explicitly on language, students in the early years are able to make sense about place value amid the vagaries of the English language in naming numbers. This conceptual approach to understanding place value allows students to further develop number strategies beyond counting by ones.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted on schools globally with closures and the implementation of online learning (UNESCO, 2020). This rapid shift has resulted in a significant change to traditional modes of delivery, including classroom teaching and professional learning opportunities for teachers, as well as thinking differently about…

In this article, the authors present two activities in which students explore angles and related geometric properties in the context of dance, namely ballet. The activities have been successfully implemented in pre-service numeracy classes at Monash University's two-year, post-degree teacher education program (MTeach). Specifically, the activities…

This article takes the position that teachers can use simple manipulative materials to model relatively complex situations and in doing so scaffold the development of students' number sense and early algebra skills. While students' early experiences are usually dominated by the cardinal aspect of number (i.e., counting the number of items in a…

In this article Paula Mildenhall describes a research project that investigated the use of a multi-semiotic teaching approach to develop flexible computational strategies in young children.

Using statistical literacy skills to determine appropriate scales to be used on graphs is an essential part of numeracy. Using several meaningful contexts, this article explains very clearly when it is appropriate and inappropriate to begin the scale of a graph at zero.

This paper reports on a large national project that explored successful numeracy practices in remote and very remote schools. While there have been a number of significant findings, the middle leader has been identified as a key role in the development of successful numeracy/mathematics practices in schools. The middle leader plays a critical role…