Developing early number concepts

The workshop will support practitioners to understand how visual tools that use subitising patterns can increase understanding of early number concepts and enhance children’s understanding of strategies for addition and subtraction.

Perhaps one of the greatest predictors of future success within mathematics is the ability of children and young people to make the leap from a reliance on counting by one strategies to non-count by one ‘part-whole’ methods. Structured patterns that represent numbers can be used to develop children’s early understanding of counting, place value, counting on and back and part-whole strategies such as doubles, grouping and partitioning.

Participants will be introduced to the concept of subitising, how they can use visual and concrete tools to develop knowledge of number structure and strategies for addition and subtraction. We will also share the positive impact these concepts are having on children’s understanding, attainment and enjoyment of mathematics.

Through the workshop participants will:

• explore how tools, such as rekenreks, tens frames and subitising patterns, can be used to develop children’s visualisations of the structure of number.
• see how these tools can be used to develop strategies for addition and subtraction.
• hear how teachers in Moray are using these tools and the positive impact they have made on children’s understanding and attainment.
• discuss how parents and carers are supported to play an active role in their child’s early number learning.