Firm Foundations Teaching Pack - Revised Edition
Numicon is a multi-sensory maths programme that encourages children to see and do maths using structured imagery and apparatus.
Through active investigation with problem-solving at its heart, Firm Foundations supports children and teachers to reason and communicate mathematically with confidence.
Features
Provides a comprehensive teaching programme for all New Entrants/Year 1 settings.
Includes all Shape, Space and Measure content, crucial for children's Year 2 readiness
Based on proven approach to teaching and learning mathematics that builds deep understanding for every child
Firmly places the teacher as an exemplar mathematical communicator and provides language examples
Models a highly effective, research-based approach to learning, supported by structured apparatus
Revised Teaching Guide in print and online provides expert advice on getting started and the key mathematical ideas children will meet Updated pull-out Activity Cards progress through the programme to build a secure foundation in maths
Rich collection of structured, creative activities support play-based learning both indoors and outdoors Emphasis on exploring maths all around us to understand the world.
The teaching and learning activities are also supported through a new online Firm Foundations subscription.
Numicon is based on sound and robust research spanning many decades, It is proven to have a significant and lasting impact on children's learning and future success. This is reflected in outstanding results.
Firm Foundations provides teachers and students with a conversation of maths - relationships between things, events and themselves. Young children are trying to join in with this big conversation. Mathematical conversation is exceedingly rich and varied. It takes a while for young children to join in. Numicon's great feature is the attention paid to the language of relationships
The Firm Foundations Teaching Pack - both print and online versions provides:
- A wide range of practical ideas for helping children to develop deep understanding of numbers and number relationships, shape, space and measurement.
- Creative suggestions for extending the learning across a variety of environments where children can explore the key concepts.
- Support for developing oral language skills
- Effective questions to guide children in their making connections and conversations
- Planning and assessment support
- A detailed guide to the key mathematical ideas children will meet
- Guidance on how best to implement Numicon in your setting.
- Photocopy Masters to support the activities
Activities have been extensively trialled with teachers and children; and derive from real classroom experience.
An overview of the Firm Foundations and Online version here
A spiral approach throughout the year - Key learning here
A sample pack be downloaded here to be updated soon
More information to download here as a PDF/Powerpoint to be updated soon
The Starter Apparatus Pack is sold separately as class or 1:1 options
Other products that are used alongside Firm Foundations are:
Numicon at the Seaside Large Foam Shapes . Pan Balance Firm Foundations Online
Our recommendations:
The programme is written for a full year. This is with the likelihood of children attending for a full year in those countries that run a once-a-year enrolment.
For us in NZ, we do recommend that children beginning at these time follow this sequence:
Term 1 new entrants – complete the book
Term 2 new entrants – complete most of the book
Term 3 new entrants – complete some of the book (– but this varies from school to school, because they may not be classed as Year 1’s the following year.) As Year 2’s, Numicon 1 Securing Foundations will be very important the following year.
Term 4 new entrants – continue with Firm Foundations the following year, for the year.
Information
The Firm Foundations Starter Apparatus Pack accompanies the Teaching Pack and is sold separately as a 1:1 or class option. The contents are also sold separately.
