Numicon provides the access to learning for children with learning difficulties or special needs -  success and enjoyment of maths at long last!

With Numicon teachers gain confidence in Maths for themselves and in their teaching. They value the systematic and progressive approach of the teaching and practical resources supplied.

Numicon provides an experience of numbers through a structured set of activities with shapes and pegs or counters.  The Part-whole concept is evident from the beginning along with comparisons of patterns.

Numicon shows children what the entire group of a number looks like in a pattern and explores what that group looks like with a variety of resources and alongside patterns of other numbers.

In this way, a sense of 'number' and how it relates to other numbers is strongly built into a child's understanding.

     

Concrete and pictorial, then abstract.

Numicon follows this model from Jerome Bruner through their primary years to support children's thinking and develop persistence and confidence.

Numicon teaches children about numbers and what they mean, before and alongside counting and patterning activities through hands-on activities, games, songs, in a structured approach.

This way of teaching is supportive to all students, but particularly those requiring a visual, hands-on and explicit style. The manipulatives are tools of thinking. Their use:

• Develops fluency by using a visual, practical base to develop conceptual understanding and fluent recall
• Helps children to reason mathematically through the use of concrete objects 
  and spoken language to explain and justify.
• Develops children into confident problem-solvers working in groups and independently.

Numicon is written following the same recommendations found in, Effective pedagogy in Mathematics,  Anthony & Walshaw, published by UNESCO

Most children with Down syndrome, autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, Fragile X, Prader-Willi syndrome and students with other learning issues make encouraging progress with Numicon.

There are many challenges in learning maths:

Words and their use are confusing- especially in English!

Numbers are not objects- they cannot be picked up and explored.  Instead they are a concept.

Some people find the sequencing of numbers and the place-value system difficult to grasp.

That's why being able to pick up the shapes of the numbers and do things with them (and with the pegs to make the patterns of the holes), children see numbers as 'wholes'  made up of parts.

The Numicon experience gives students the opportunity to learn numeracy through:

Words Shapes Numerals Number lines Counting Patterning Sequencing Everyday life experiences

Cuisenaire Rods Songs Craft Play activities

NUMICON is:

• Quality first learning

• Written by experienced and qualified teachers and specialists

• Researched-based

• Progressive

• Number relationships

• Counting experiences

• Not reliant on counting for calculating

• Emphasises mathematical language

• Make connections to apply their understanding

• Inclusive for all students

Numicon creates a supportive learning environment

Numicon encourages reflective thought and action

Numicon provides for making connections with prior learning

Numicon shows how new learning is relevant in real life

Numicon encourages shared and individual learning

Numicon provides many opportunities for learning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find out more here