Reading, writing and representing numbers

This article for teachers describes how modelling number properties involving multiplication using an array of objects not only allows children to represent their thinking with concrete materials, but it can also assist them in forming useful mental pictures to support memory and reasoning.

While musing about the difficulties children face in comprehending number structure, notation, etc., it occured to the author that there is a vast array of occasions when numbers and signs are used in anomalous ways; often these are at the earliest stages, when they must be enormously confusing. However, they also frequently happen in adult situations.

This article for the young and old talks about the origins of our number system and the important role zero has to play in it.

This article for pupils explores what makes numbers special or lucky, and looks at the numbers that are all around us every day.

Bernard Bagnall recommends some primary school problems which use numbers from the environment around us, from clocks to house numbers.

How can we help students make sense of addition and subtraction of negative numbers?