Number talks

Number talks are short discussions among a teacher and students about how to solve a particular mental math problem. The focus is not on the correct answer, but on all the possible methods of finding the answer.

Each student has a chance to explain their method, and everyone else will learn from other people's methods!

To start a number talk, the teacher gives the students a SHORT math problem to solve — but the students are not allowed to use a calculator or paper & pencil. The idea is to solve it in one's head!



For example, you could ask students to solve 5 × 18 using mental math.

Read more here - and see a great video by Jo Boaler. This is a "tool" you can't afford to miss as a math teacher!

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