Mixed level classes
Planning templates
Numicon 1 - Suggestions for planning:
Derry's comments on Numicon Assessment
About Assessment with Numicon
Numicon employs a formative assessment approach to give a deeper and more convincing picture of a child's learning and progress. Children's learning is recorded not tested.
Resources of Assessment
- Assessment Opportunities are listed on the Activity Group Overview
- Milestone Assessment Cards for Numicon 1 - 6 are on Oxford Owl - look in the Online Index for the link to download
- Explorer Progress booklets for every student using Numicon 1- 6 are on Oxford Owl - look in the Online Index for the link to download
- Milestone Tracking Chart documents - look in the Online Index for the link to download
- Individualised assessment documents - look in the Online Index for the link to download
- NZ Milestone Assessment Tracking Chart Numicon 1 - 5. (Numicon 6 will be available 1 March) click here to download the document
Milestones are markers along a student's learning journey. They are a summary of the previous 4 - 6 weeks of learning.
Milestones recognise that a student may not learn all that is expected in the one week of learning, but rather over time. The Milestones reflect this learning journey.
Milestones are provided in the back of every Teaching Handbook and as an Excel spreadsheet downloaded through the Oxford Owl subscription and on the link above.
Further reading
How to implement Formative Assessment from the Auckland Maths Hub.
Getting Started with Numicon and Te Mataiaho
The message explains key aspects of the new curriculum (Te Mātaiaho Mathematics and Statistics) to align language and practice for consistency across schools. Key points include:
Progress Outcomes: Each phase (e.g., Year 1-3) has one progress outcome describing what students will understand and achieve by the phase's end. Key examples and summaries are on pages 27 (Phase 1), 55 (Phase 2), and 83 (Phase 3).
Curriculum Structure:
- Strands (e.g., Number, Algebra) are broken into sub-strands (e.g., Number includes structure, operations).
- Each sub-strand has a year-by-year teaching sequence (page 11, right column) with specific teaching statements.
- Teaching statements guide what and how to teach, not assess, with Teaching Considerations offering evidence-based strategies.
Assessment: Discussions around assessment approaches (e.g., OTJs or tests) are pending. Focus should remain on Assessment for Learning to guide teaching and address student needs.
Numicon's Alignment: Numicon planning and materials support the curriculum’s processes (e.g., investigating, representing, generalising, and justifying). The NZ Assessment Tracking Chart effectively connects planning and tracking.
Year-Level Teaching: Teachers must teach content aligned to year levels but can use early weeks to:
- Review prior learning.
- Establish routines for mathematical vocabulary and tools.
- Identify gaps and prepare for new learning.
Teachers are encouraged to use their professional judgment and the stem "informed by prior learning" when planning. Schools will soon receive MoE training, which includes planning templates, but Numicon already meets these needs effectively.
Getting Started with Numicon - the first few weeks:Get to know your new class and ensure there are no gaps before embarking on the new learning. NZC statements are preceded by the stem 'informed by prior learning... which reminds teachers to use their professional judgment and assessment information when selecting what content to teach. pg 11 of NZC"
1. Any review of previous learning links in with the science of learning and good practice.
2. More than review: What is new, is a new way of communicating in the classroom (establishing class norms of behaviour -which may be not be new for some but still the class relationships will be new) and most significantly becoming familiar with how to show your maths thinking with equipment, is very new.
3. Teachers knowing what to look for and knowing how to ask deeper questions rather than just recall is also new.