I could see how it was useful for adding, making tens, and adding with ten. I was told it is so much more but, as I only had access to the coloured number shapes, so it was hard to believe.
Today
The Numicon number shapes are weighted. If you put the shapes for 2 and 2 together on the scales, it weighs the same as the 1 and 3 which is the same as the shape 4. The new Cuisenaire rods are also weighted in this way.Numicon is great to help students to move from the concrete use of materials to the idea of imaging for the more abstract concepts.
As for all new learners in a topic, the mathematical language is often lacking. With Numicon students can show their understanding through manipulation of the shapes. Group discussion helps students to learn the language through talking.
Students and teachers often learn while they are fiddling. A teacher can be explaining the method to the group while they are moving the shapes. While reinforcing the concept to a slower learner, the group can continue to work on other examples to show their understanding.
The more they touch the more they enjoy, the more they enjoy the more they engage.
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Kia ora Tanya. Having grown up in the era of cuisonaire I like the look of the numicon in terms of the tens frames doubles frames etc. Think this is a great system for conversations about Maths. Looking forward to hearing how it goes for your learners.
ReplyDeleteHi Dave, thanks for your response, I am looking for to using it more. I have already tried it with one group and using it to make groups of a number and then letting the students count all giving them that initial grounding for multiplication.
DeleteHi Tanya,
ReplyDeleteI learnt a lot from this blog post and look forward to trying these numicon challenges with my new entrant learners next term. I also will be pulling out some scales to test the weights. Thanks for that tidbit.
Thank you Kara for checking out my blog. I have really enjoyed introducing numicon to my students and have enjoyed seeing mire lightbulb moments and we were adding to ten and investigating place value.
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