Developing Number Sense and Early Number Concepts

EDN 322

Number Sense

A “good intuition about numbers and their relationships. It develops gradually as a result of exploring numbers, visualizing them in a variety of contexts, and relating them in ways that are not limited by traditional algorithms” (Howden, 1989).

Number and Operations Standard Grades Pre-K-12Understand numbers, ways of representing

numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems

Understand meanings of operations and how they relate to one another

Compute fluently and make reasonable estimates

Principles and Standards for School Mathematics National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

2000

Understand numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems

Count with understanding and recognize “how many” in sets of objects

Develop understanding of the relative position and magnitude of whole numbers and of ordinal and cardinal numbers and their connections.

Connect number words and numerals to the quantities they represent, using various physical models and representations

The meanings for the number five suggested by young children…

Prenumber Concepts

Patterning

Sorting

Classifying

Counting Principles

One-to-one correspondence

Stable order rule

Order irrelevance rule

Cardinality rule

Counting Stages

Rote Counting

Counting StagesRational Counting

Counting Strategies

Counting On

Counting Back

Skip Counting

Relationships Among Numbers

Spatial Relationships

One and Two More, One and Two Less

Number Benchmarks

Part-part-whole Relationships

Writing Numerals

Start with very clear, very strong models.

Focus on one number at a time.

Provide maximum guidance at first.

Be accepting of initial efforts.

Gently reduce the amount of guidance.

Reward correct performance.

Review previously-learned material at regular

intervals.