What is number sense? “Number sense is the ability to use and understand numbers” (http://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/number-sense.html). In the article by Russell Gersten and David J. Chard, “Number Sense: Rethinking Arithmetic Instruction for Students with Mathematical Disabilities” (2001), the authors compare number sense to phonemic awareness. A child needs to understand how sounds work together to make words in order to read. In math, students must understand the attributes of numbers to become proficient problem solvers.
Here are some of the characteristics of number sense:
Fluidity-It is essential for students to learn that numbers are flexible. 10 can be broken up into 8+2 or 14-4. This concept is used in Singapore Math to demonstrate how numbers can be broken apart in order to solve more complicated problems.
Meaning-Just as words have meaning, so do numbers. Students, especially during early elementary school, must be able to express numeric meaning through representation. This can be shown through manipulatives (dried beans, cubes, candy, etc.). The student should be able to show the meaning of 10 by counting out 10 cubes or drawing 10 circles.
Mental Math-Students who develop fluidity in math can begin to picture and manipulate numbers in their head. The brain can spend more time problem-solving by conserving energy with math facts proficiency.
Strategies-The beauty of math is there is more than one way to solve a problem. As students become more proficient in understanding the properties of numbers, they can spend more time figuring out ways to solve a problem. For example, a multiplication problem can be represented with pictures, through repeated addition, broken down into smaller multiplication problems and added together, using a known fact to find an unknown fact, etc. What is essential is for the student to see that math is pliable and there is not just one way to find an answer.
Recognizing Patterns-Math patterns occur everywhere in nature, such as the pattern of a pineapple’s skin or the nautilus shell. Finding patterns in math increases a student’s ability to solve problems more quickly and accurately. One example of a pattern in multiplication is the products of 9. The digits in the product, when added together, equal 9. For instance, 9×9=81. 8+1=9.
Recognizing Errors-A person with good number sense can identify errors in problems. They understand that something is wrong if the answer for a subtraction problem is greater than the number they started with. The student can understand that 8 is greater than 6.
These skills can be incorporated into everyday activities. Whether it is cooking, shopping, or playing a game, these concepts can be part of an informal home program that will make math learning fun.
If you would like to read the article cited in this blog, this link will take you there:
https://www.ldonline.org/ld-topics/teaching-instruction/number-sense-rethinking-arithmetic-instruction-students-mathematical?theme=print#skip-to-main: The Importance of Number Sense