About Numicon Maths Shapes
Please watch the video above for an introduction to the Numicon approach and why learners find maths so difficult.
Numicon is a multi-sensory maths teaching programme using Numicon maths shapes in a series of practical teaching activities. The Maths Shapes give learners insight into number values and relationships in a way not provided by written numerals. Learners develop their own mental imagery as they combine and compare the shapes to do arithmetic in a series of practical activities.
Numicon’s visual, auditory and kinaesthetic approach appeals to different learning styles. Pupils learn through both seeing and feeling how Numicon patterns connect with each other. By physically manipulating Numicon to build constructions, make arrangements and patterns and play games using the feely bag, pupils will experience with both their hands and their eyes how numbers fit together. The powerful images can also open doors for children struggling with number, no matter how old they are.
The teaching programme that accompanies the Numicon maths shapes has been developed by the authors as they work with children and teachers on a daily basis. The teaching activities are described on a series of illustrated cards.
In the early stages children play with the Numicon shapes, through the teaching activities they begin to associate a number name with each shape and then start to use the shapes in practical arithmetic activities. Thus children develop their own mental imagery of number, relationships between numbers and arithmetic operations. As children’s understanding develops they cease to rely on the concrete Numicon imagery using their own mental imagery of number and relationships between numbers and arithmetic operations.
Numicon illustrates addition and subtraction, place value, doubling and halving, estimation, division, multiplication and much more. Pupils actively enjoy using Numicon, either independently or in groups. The colourful and durable pieces are ideal for whole class mental maths activities. As teachers begin to work with the materials they quickly find further ways of using Numicon maths shapes; percentages, fractions and decimals are all easily illustrated using the shapes.
The British Government's National Curriculum states that children, at the first Key Stage should be "using mental images of numbers and their relationships to support the development of mental calculation strategies". This is exactly what Numicon is designed to do.
