Number Talks - Refining our Practice

Mrs. Camara's class was highly engaged in this number talk emphasizing grouping strategies.

Number talks provide our students with opportunities to calculate with flexibility,  efficiency, and accuracy.  According to Sherry Parrish in her book Number Talks, mental math number talks are a “pivotal vehicle for developing efficient, flexible, and accurate computation strategies that build upon the key foundational ideas of mathematics such as composition and decomposition of numbers, our system of tens, and the application of properties".

Mrs. Bramlett captured students' division strategies by sketching open area models.

Refining our Number Talks

There are several strategies that can improve the effectiveness of number talks:

•  Designated Location - Parrish suggests that teachers have a designated location for number talks where the teacher is in close proximity to students, for observations and interactions.  She stated, “While many teachers wish to have their students remain at their desks, I have found that it is easier to build a cohesive community and a focused discussion when students shift away from their regular routines and are removed from typical desk distractions.”
• Wait Time – It is important to allow the appropriate wait time (until most students have an answer).  If students have a “thumbs up”, they should be thinking of other strategies while waiting.  If you have provided the wait time, and students are still pondering the problem, have students turn and talk to find a strategy together.
•  Student Communication – It is critical that all students be engaged in communication throughout the number talk.  Students can be engaged in these discussions through strategies such as restating strategies used by others, and participating in turn-and-talk to arrive at a strategy.
• Teacher Role – Since the goal is to have a classroom conversation, the teacher’s primary role is that of facilitator, as well as listener, questioner, and learner.  It is important that the teacher record each child’s thinking on the board as the child is talking.  Visual models such as area models, number lines, etc. can be used.