Numeracy across the Curriculum
Challenges and Strategies
Reading:
Challenges
Strategies
Difficulty reading the questions
 Check the readability of the text.
 Teach the chunking technique.
 Highlight difficult words. These words can be written on the board/flashcards and taught explicitly.
 Graphic and picture cues can assist comprehension and aid word prediction. Request students to scan the problem for
unknown words. Highlight and discuss and define with teacher/peer.
 Reading pen.
 Digital voice recorders.
 Reading buddy.
 Provide assistive technology such as text-to-speech software.
Comprehension difficulties
 Word walls for numeracy. Teach the student to find key words that give the clue to the process required.
 Encourage the student to draw a simple sketch of word problems, turn the problem into pictures not words.
 Highlight number words in one colour, vocabulary in another etc. Encourage repeated reading. Allow the student to use a
ruler/reading ruler if he/she loses place.
 If reading the questions/giving instructions/explaining concepts – be aware of the speed used, important to be at a pace
that allows students to process the information.
 Preview the problem and summarise content and main points with Mind Maps.
 Match number sentences to concrete materials e.g. 8 + 5 (real items better than counters).
Directional confusion
 Highlight tables/diagrams in a different colour, if the student is concentrating on left-right reading flow they may miss
these.
Reading large numbers
 Teach the strategy of chunking the figures from the right in threes.
 Place value charts also useful. If there is a decimal point, make it very obvious and perhaps have it in a different colour.
Special Education Support Service, c/o Cork Education Support Centre, The Rectory, Western Road, Cork
Tel: 021 4254241 - Email: info@sess.ie
Memory:
Challenges
Forgetting verbal instruction
Strategies
 One step rule, give one instruction at a time. Chunk information.
 Highlighting of information.
 Accompany instructions with visual/concrete cues where possible.
 Teach internal rehearsal techniques, mind-mapping, give the students
extra time etc.
Poor visual memory and difficulties copying information from the board/book
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More time. Consider giving the student a handout.
Difficulties remembering the sequencing of steps
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Checklists (sequence checklist).
Teacher should model the steps of the problem aloud (self talk),
encourage students to do same.
Use acronyms/mnemonics e.g. RUDE – Read the question, Underline
(highlight) key words, Draw diagram/graph/chart, Estimate the answer.
involved in solving a problem
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Difficulty remembering formulae
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Mnemonics, visualisation, rhymes, jingles, colour coding, memory cards.
Method cards.
Forgetting the symbols and the associated words
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forgetting which symbol is being used within a maths problem
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Multisensory approach to teaching words and symbols. Matching games,
memory cards, cue cards.
Symbol cards.
Language processing difficulty
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Write down mental maths for students.
Use visual cues to assist information recall.
Mnemonics.
Mind Maps/Flow charts to link new learning to prior knowledge.
Internal rehearsal (visualisation).
Teach numeracy in more than one mode – visually, verbally and
experimentally e.g. mock shop
Directional Confusion, Spatial awareness:
Challenges
Left to right confusion
Strategies
 Students may need a personal strategy for remembering this, some ideas may be to mark left and right on the corners of
their desk show that their left hand can make the letter L by holding the left fingers together and the thumb horizontal.
 Incorporate the teaching of left to right in all day-to-day activities.
 If the student has difficulties knowing where to begin on their copy, the teacher may mark a point in marker where they
can begin.
Prepositions (above, below)
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Play games that incorporate these words in PE for example.
Cue cards.
Directional words e.g.
horizontal, vertical, diagonal
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PE and movement may be used to introduce these words
Use concrete objects and allow students to arrange them horizontally/diagonally etc.
Difficulties reading tables,
charts, diagrams
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Colour code column/row, heading etc.
Use squared paper or lined paper turned sideways to create columns.
Difficulty copying from
board
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Use different coloured markers to assist the student in following from one line to another.
Reduce amount of information to be copied.
Provide copy of information.
Organisation:
Challenges
Locating books/equipment difficulties
Writing, organisation/where to begin on the page
Strategies
 Colour code books and copies.
 Have a separate pencil case for numeracy to include ruler, pencil, protractor, calculator etc.
 Have a folder (as distinct as possible ) for numeracy handouts, loose leaf pages etc.
 Consider a home/ school numeracy wallet for home/school.
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Clear margins, squared copy, encourage the student to draw a line on the left side of the page for
rough work (perhaps have these done in advance).
When drawing graphs use squared paper.
Have a clear symbol marked on the page where the student starts their computation.
Encourage students to separate the answer from their working out e.g. Answer = 24
Teach students to underline final answer.
Organisational checklist / Task Management Board.
Digit reversals , misreading numbers
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Multisensory reinforcement and over learning of digit shapes.
Encourage verbalisation and rechecking.
Allow lots of practice.
Ruler Use
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Specifically set time aside to teach students how to hold/use rulers etc (left-handed also available).
Writing down homework
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Consider a buddy system. Allow time for homework to be taken down at the beginning of the
lesson or about ten minutes before the end of the lesson.
Consider the use of colour- coded homework sheets.
Use different coloured markers to assist student in following from one line to another.
Reduce amount of information to be copied down.
Provide a copy of the information.
Copying form board
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Language:
Challenges
Language fluency
difficulty
Vocabulary difficulty
Strategies
 Allow the student to write the method rather than explain it.
 Self talk- student to think aloud as they work so they can hear the language and method they are using, teacher should model
this method.
 Chunk the information – speak in short, clear sentences.
 Allow ‘thinking time’ and ‘response time’.
 Use Mind Maps to outline the lesson, to teach and summarise.
 Encourage student to create personal Mind Maps to clarify the lesson for themselves and to facilitate processing of information.
 Support ‘teacher talk’ with visual cues.
 Provide concrete materials and resources.
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Introduce new vocabulary in a concrete way e.g. fractions – break the bar of chocolate into four equal pieces – each of the
pieces is a quarter.
Visual cues.
Rebus.
Pre-teach the key words.
Numeracy Dictionary.
Online maths Dictionary
www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com
Attention/ Speed of working:
Challenges
Strategies
Difficulty staying on task
 Identify topics of interest
 Break tasks into a series of small steps.
 Give information in more than one modality.
 Keep instructions short – CHUNK.
 Demonstrate instructions with diagram or picture.
 Teach internal rehearsal strategies/ mnemonics.
 Provide students with a scribble pad.
 Allow thinking time- revision picture/mind map.
 Checklists/adhesive notes.
 Seat students close to where teacher usually stands.
 Transparent zip wallet/folder – urgent tasks.
Speed of working
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Introduce a few short, simple mental problems at the start of each lesson – improves listening and processing skills.
Provide time management aids e.g. checklists.
Extra time to complete tasks
Reduce the number of tasks to be completed.
Problem Solving Skills:
Challenges
Cognitive Skills
Conceptual
Understanding
Strategies
 Direct teaching of a problem solving strategy e.g. RUDE
Read the problem carefully
Underline/highlight key words/symbols
Draw a picture/graph
Evaluate/estimate answer
 Model the strategy for solving straight forward/more compel problems and afford lots of practice.
 Reflect on the purpose of each step.
 Work backwards.
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Meta-cognitive skills
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Introduce concepts using real life examples e.g. when introducing measure get students to measure the dimensions of classroom
etc.
Use a model of concrete materials
Use appropriate numeracy games.
Give students the opportunity (with guidance) to set their own problems for others to solve.
Provide opportunities for regular revisiting of concepts/skills.
Encourage self-questioning
‘What needs to be solved in this problem?’ (identify the task)
‘How can I do it?’ (select a strategy)
‘Can I picture the problem?’ (visualise)
‘Is it working out?’ (self-monitoring)
‘How can I check my answer? Does my answer make sense?’ (evaluation)
Continuous Evaluation
Encourage discussion and dialogue – allow time for planning before beginning activity and at the end of activity/lesson allow time
to reflect – What went right/wrong/can be improved?
Provide prompts/probing questions to help students talk about their thinking – Why did you use that method? Have you worked
out a problem like this before? Can you think of another way?
General Strategies
Whole School approach:
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Visual Displays – numeracy word walls, strategy walls (agreed strategy throughout the school e.g. method for calculating percentage), students’ work
displays.
Capitalise on the ‘numeracy moments' that occur naturally in the classroom and throughout the school.
Introduce ‘Problem of the Week’ on notice boards with a reward for those who solve it.
Flexibility in teaching methods – recognise that ‘one’ method does not suit every student – some students will need an alternative method, others may be
confused by it.
Use differentiated resources and worksheets – a variety of materials that students can use depending on needs/interests