NUMBER TALKS : FOCUS ON REASONING PART 1
BY CORY A . BENNETT
Sharing Good Practice
Tips for Getting Started
When you first begin , start with a mathematical exercise that lends itself to multiple ways of thinking . For example , in a second grade classroom I would start with something like 7 + 5 so that students could use a make-aten strategy ( breaking 5 up into 2 and 3 to combine the 3 with the 7 and then adding the 2 ), doubles plus 2 ( breaking the seven into 5 and 2 and then adding the 5s to make a 10 then adding 2 more ), or even simply counting on . In each case , it is not about ensuring students produce 12 as a solution , but hearing and defending why each of their strategies make sense . Getting students to this place also requires asking the right kinds of questions . At AUS , the teachers pre-plan their questions so that they are better able to probe with higher-order questions that help students make clear connections to the mathematics .
Number Talks are a highly effective way to help students learn to reason and communicate mathematically . Students have opportunities to learn to think and behave like a mathematician , which is central to their growth in mathematics . The American United School of Kuwait ( AUS ) is now in their second year of successfully implementing Number Talks across elementary and secondary grade levels which has led to major improvements in the teaching and learning of mathematics .
The first installment of a two-part article will share the nature of Number Talks and some key considerations that helped AUS when they first began Number Talks in the elementary grades . Part two will focus on the adaptations to make Number Talks more appropriate for secondary grades .
Nature of Number Talks
Number talks are often short , five to ten minute , whole-class moments wherein students mentally calculate solutions to computational exercises to develop flexibility in thinking and reasoning . Students discuss their ideas , attending to the “ why ” instead of just “ how .” The teacher records the student ’ s thinking in a non-evaluative manner , probing for clarification if specific steps or decisions are unclear , and then using students ’ ideas and ways of thinking to help them make specific connections to the mathematical relationships . This process is about developing creative and flexible thinkers in mathematics and not about getting correct answers ; the beauty of number talks lies in the process , not the solutions .
As with any strategy that you try , this will take more time than you think it will ( or want it to ) at first but it will become easier to implement as you become more familiar with it . Also , the underlying success of Number Talks goes beyond just deliberate practice , but beginning with deliberate planning . Your planning matters tremendously here . My suggestion is to begin with answering the following questions first : What should they be considering in the task you provide ? How do you want them to consider this task or what do you want them to focus on ? What mathematics will be involved or be the focus ? And what questions will you ask to probe for clarity ? Regardless , of what you want to focus on first , just begin . The more often you use Number Talks , the better your students will be in adopting the identity of a student mathematician in your lessons .
Dr . Bennett is a passionate educator who strives for equity in learning for all students . As a global consultant and an Associate Professor of Education specializing in curriculum and instruction , he has worked with educators throughout the United States and across the Middle East , Europe , Australia , and Asia .
Class Time | | Nov - Dec 2017 | 37