About Numicon and Making Numbers Real
Numicon images 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 Numicon 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.
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.
The British Government's National Curriculum 2000 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.
Numicon’s
strong visual imagery with emphasis on pattern, multi-sensory approach and
‘small steps’ teaching programme is proving successful for pupils with many
different special needs.
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