• Introducing the NumberSense Mathematics Programme Comprehensive Workbooks

    Underpinning the NumberSense Mathematics Programme is the belief that children can experience mathematics as a sense-making, problem-solving activity. This happens when children develop knowledge with understanding that they can apply in unfamiliar situations while being able to explain (reason about) what they are doing. The development of the NumberSense Mathematics Programme has been guided by clear developmental trajectories for all of the mathematical concepts. These developmental trajectories draw on mathematics education research about how children learn mathematics with a particular focus on developing mathematical reasoning skills. By building connections and exploring similarities and differences between activities and tasks, the NumberSense materials support children to develop a robust structural understanding of mathematics.

    The workbooks of the NumberSense Mathematics Programme represent a mathematical journey from the start to the end of primary school. Presented as a journey, the programme provides for differentiated teaching that is responsive to the developmental level of each child. The NumberSense Comprehensive Workbooks bring together the original Workbook Series with the Companion Series to create a single workbook series. The Comprehensive Workbooks provide a coherent mathematics programme that addresses all the elements of the primary school mathematics curriculum in one place. Without losing the richness of the original materials, combining the two series created the opportunity to further strengthen the already rich NumberSense teaching and learning materials and provides a robust mathematics programme for Grades R to 7. Schools and teachers using the programme do not have to develop and/or supply additional learning materials.

    The Comprehensive Workbooks:

    • Provide a more rigorous approach to Space and Shape (Geometry), Measurement, and Data Handling.
    • Include a completely revised set of Grade 7 workbooks designed to support a smooth transition from Grade 6 to Grade 8.
    • Deliberately structure the use and incorporation of the full range of NumberSense teaching and learning resources.
    • Incorporate a greater use of explanations in Grades 1 to 3 and Grade 7.
    • Have 64 pages per workbook (previously 48) with a set of four workbooks for each school year – a workbook per term.
    • Make use of colour throughout the materials.

    10 compelling reasons to use the NumberSense Mathematics Programme as your mathematics programme of choice

    The programme:

    1. Provides a comprehensive mathematics teaching and learning solution for Grades R to 7.
    2. Is informed by research on how children learn mathematics.
    3. Is grounded in evidence-based practices and is responsive to the feedback from and needs of the NumberSense User Group.
    4. Supports differentiation and provides learning opportunities for children at their developmental level.
    5. Encourages independent engagement by children.
    6. Uses context-based problems to reveal mathematics.
    7. Includes an extensive range of teaching and learning resources that are used in conjunction with the workbooks and can also be used independently.
    8. Provides extensive support to schools and teachers by:
      1. Hosting an annual NumberSense User Group conference that brings together teachers from across the country to share experiences and learn about programme developments and implementation strategies.
      2. Presenting a minimum of two all-day SACE-accredited workshops in all major city centres every year.
      3. Providing school-based support visits that include lesson demonstrations, teacher observation and feedback, bespoke workshops to address the school’s needs, and parent meetings.
    9. Has an expansive website with a vast range of free downloadable resources (www.NumberSense.co.za).
    10. Has been used in a wide range of contexts for more than a decade with great success.

    The exemplar booklet, which can be downloaded here, is designed to provide users and resellers of the NumberSense Mathematics Programme a view of what to expect from the NumberSense Comprehensive Workbooks. The booklet is organised by phase with selected pages from Workbooks 1 to 12 in the Foundation Phase section, selected pages from Workbooks 13 to 24 in the Intermediate Phase section, and two chapters from the Grade 7 workbooks in the Grade 7 section.

    NumberSense Comprehensive Workbooks 1-26 (CopySafe)