Getting Started with Planning Numeracy

At the core of a successful numeracy plan is a clear mapping of student numeracy skills with the level of skill required to understand and engage in curriculum content successfully. This requires both the analysis of students’ skills and identification of the level of numeracy skills and demands within syllabus content. Explicit teaching of numeracy needs to occur when there are gaps between students’ numeracy skills and syllabus numeracy demands. This process involves:

    • identification of students existing numeracy skills
    • identification of numeracy skills required by students to engage successfully with curriculum content
    • planning of the explicit teaching of the required numeracy skills to bridge the gap.

Step 1

Identify the numeracy demands of your key learning area:

In faculty groups or stage/year groups teachers brainstorm all the areas in which students experience difficulty with curriculum content, common misconceptions, areas of confusion or misunderstandings. This is KLA specific data which needs to be addressed by teachers within their teaching methods and made a focus for improving student outcomes.

Step 2

Identify areas of weakness through SMART analysis of NAPLAN data:

These areas will require targeted focus and need to be considered when planning teaching and learning activities. This is general numeracy data which adds another dimension for consideration when planning teaching and learning activities to ensure students understand the curriculum content.

icon play analysing data

Analysing NAPLAN numeracy data within SMART



Step 3

Use the Numeracy skills framework to identify numeracy skills:

Identify the prior knowledge of students, where students are at stage level and where to take them next. Follow the thread of skills required, this information is used to plan teaching and learning activities. Using the Numeracy Skills Framework identify where students are and where to take them next. Use the planning guide to develop lessons and learning activities. Consider key questions based on the Quality Teaching framework when planning activities.

Step 4

Plan numeracy activities

Provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their thinking and apply numeracy skills within a subject area. Encourage students to discuss reason and communicate their mathematical thinking justifying the response.

What do I want the students to learn?
What key concepts or big ideas from the syllabus are identified?
How are learning experiences designed so that key concepts relate to each other?
How are learning experiences designed to require a sustained focus on the key concepts or ideas?
What learning experiences build skills and processes to help students grasp the key concepts?
Why does the learning matter?
What activities will help students grasp the essential learnings of the lesson sequence?
What opportunities will students have to relate their learning to situations beyond the classroom?
How do the learning experiences make links between students’ background knowledge and new knowledge?
What do I want the students to do or produce?
How will students demonstrate their understanding of the key concepts?
What products or performances will be most meaningful for students and how can they have some control over the product or performance?
How do the learning experiences allow all students to engage and participate?
How well do I expect them to do it?
What criteria are students given for the quality of work expected from them?
Are these criteria related to achievement of syllabus outcomes?
How will students demonstrate their achievement of syllabus outcomes?
How do students know what a quality product or performance looks like?
How does the work challenge all students?
© State of NSW, Department of Education and Training, Professional Learning and Leadership Development Directorate 2008, NSW Department of Education and Training