Tom Renwick

Doing some early years learning with a balance machine, toys, golf ball and poker chips. Poker chips are great for arranging, counting, stacking (and then knocking over if young enough). The red bus is heavier than the yellow taxi, and, 4 poker chips are heavier than a golf ball.

I’ve decided to give my first numeracy talk in the seven years since retiring, to all 40+ champion maths teachers in East Dumbarton, in November. Meanwhile I recently visited a school in Windhoek to hand over a Numeracy Map and a Wee Red Box, and to share techniques with classes.

The app for the Numeracy Map was recently made free for all three levels. I’ve since realised in order to access levels 2 and 3 you need to delete your older version of the App and then download the new version. Numeracy, let’s get excellent.

All three levels of the Numeracy Map are now FREE. Level 1 mainly suitable for P2/3/4 Level 2 mainly suitable for P4/5/6 Level 3 mainly suitable for P5/6/7 The mapping techniques stem from my researching alleviation strategies for dyscalculia (and beneficial for most learners).

I’m calling this art piece ‘The DNA of Numeracy’, since calculations build on the numbers 1-9. When the light changes the piece also changes. I like how 7 oozes symmetry, despite it often being one of the more awkward numbers for early stage learners.

Sunak has implied Labour had started a ‘levelling up’ agenda, though apparently not with the same aim as the Tory version, which may be more of a ‘topping up’ for already well enough off communities. Meanwhile, here’s my first numeracy inspired painting, called ‘Ode to Numeracy’.

Great story and pictures, and I’m so pleased the pupils have become good at their 7 times table. Well done! I was so inspired I practiced mine too tonight with a #numeracymap and then the App version to view, practice and test myself. Good at #numeracy = better at maths…..

The Numeracy Map is a direct outcome of my research into alleviation strategies for dyscalculia (one of three main strategies I identified). The App version simply brings the map digitally alive, showing journeys for add, subtract, multiply and divide.

At £10 it is expensive as apps go (though level 1 is free, with levels 2 and 3 then being in-app purchases). However it is hugely effective for the effective learning of numeracy, then, being good at numeracy = potentially better at maths.

The #numeracymap is all about journeys, arriving at destinations (for add, subtract and multiply) and steps needed to make the journey (for divide). The techniques are beneficial for visual learners, which happens to be most kids. Here’s the app doing journeys for the 5x table.