What We Believe About Students' Learning in Mathematics

What we believe about students
learning in mathematics
All students can be confident and competent

mathematicians
Mathematics can be taught in a social context, rather
than the student as an individual
Talking about mathematics can develop understanding
Strong foundations are necessary
There is usually more than one way to solve a
mathematical problem
Teaching should begin from where the student is
currently at
What is Count Me In Too

A professional development project which is based on a
school teams model
The teachers administer the SENA to their students and
analyse the results
They determine not just the right and wrong answers, but
the strategies used to find answers
Teachers use the results to plan number lessons
As students develop and practise more sophisticated
strategies, teachers refer back to the LFIN to guide their
programs.
Shared use of LFIN language
History of CMIT
Initial framework was developed by Professor Bob Wright
in 1996
The framework is based on the constructivist theories
The framework focus was on counting, addition and
subtraction
In 1998 multiplication and division were added to the
framework
1999 - the framework was expanded to include Place
value
2000 M&D was incorporated into the assessment
process and an assessment schedule for Stage 1 and 2
was developed.
History of CMIT
The Indigenous project was trialled in 2001
All our primary schools have been given the opportunity
to participate in the project
The project has expanded to the Catholic Diocese in
Canberra, Wollongong and Newcastle and to NT and
ACT government schools
South Carolina, USA and the International school in Hong
Kong have joined the project
New mathematics K-6 syllabus is strongly influenced by
the CMIT project
NSW schools are using a facilitator model for
maintenance of the project
Count Me In Too
The Learning
framework
Building addition and

subtraction through counting
by ones
Emergent: The student cannot count visible
items
Perceptual: The student is able to count
perceived items
Figurative: The student does not rely on
perceiving items to count, but starts from one.
Counting on and back: The student counts on
rather than counting from one to solve addition
and subtraction tasks
Building addition and

subtraction through grouping
Facile strategies
Combining and partitioning
- To 10
- To 20
Subitising
Non-count by one strategies

include:
Compensation for addition & subtraction, 7+3 is the
same as 8+2
Commuting for addition, 2+9 is the same as 9+2
Using addition for subtraction, 4+4=8,so 8-4=4
Using doubles, 5+5=10, so 4+5=9
Using a known fact, 4+3=7, so 5+3=8
Partitioning using 5 as a sub-base, 4+3 is the same as
4+1+2
Partitioning using 10 as a base, 7+6 is the same as
7+3+3
Using tens-structure of teens, 15-4=11 because 15-5=10
and 4 is one less than 5.
Subitising
Level 0 A student needs to count the collection
of items by ones.
Level 1- Perceptual. The student instantly
recognises and states the number in a collection
of items.
Level 2 Conceptual. A student states the
number in a larger collection by seeing the parts
and the whole.
Why is subitising useful?
Assists students in counting on strategies

Helps develop abstract number strategies
Helps build visual images
Builds an early base for addition
Links to part whole and combining & partitioning
Verbal and written

labels
Forward and backward

number word sequence
Level 0 Cannot say the numbers from 1-10 or from
10-1
Level 1 Can say the numbers 1-10 and from 10-1 but
cannot say the number after or before
Level 2 Can say the numbers from 1-10 and from 10-1
but counts from 1
and state the number before and after in the range 1-10
and state the numbers before and after.
Level 5 Can say the numbers 1-100 and from 100-1
and state the number before and after a given number
Counting by tens and

hundreds
Level 1 Can count forwards and backwards by
10s and 100s
Level 2 Can count forwards and backwards by
10s off the decade
Level 3 Can count forwards & backwards by
100s off the 100 and on and off the decade
Numeral identification
Level 0 may recognise some numerals but not

all numbers 1-10
Level 1 Can identify numbers 1-10
Level 4 can identify numbers 1-1000
Level 5 Can identify numbers to 10 000
Finger patterns & Recording

The student may use their fingers in a variety of
ways and they are prominent in early number.
Recordings should be used to support students
thinking and methods of solving problems
Different ways of notating can become topics for
class discussions
Symbolism should be connected to the making of
meaning
Recordings can model students reasoning and
their thinking
Count Me In Too
How do you currently
assess the strategies
that your students use
to solve number
problems?
Building
multiplication and
division through
equal grouping and
counting
L1. Forming equal groups
The student is able to:

Form equal groups (sharing).
Able to find the total of the groups.
The student does not take notice of the structure
of the groups when finding the total.
L2. Perceptual multiples
The student is able to:

Use items to form equal groups.
Find the total of the groups through rhythmic,
skip or double counting only when the items are
visible.
L3. Figurative units
The student:
Counts forwards or backwards using multiples,
or rhythmic counting (or a combination of both).
Does not rely on items being visible.
Uses perceptual markers (e.g. fingers, opaque
containers) to keep track of the groups.
Needs to reconstruct the groups before the
count.
L4. Repeated abstract composite

units
The student:
Uses repeated addition or subtraction to find the
total.
Does not need to reconstruct the group before
the count. Might use fingers as they count.
Might use a double count.
L5. Multiplication and division as

operations
The student:
Recalls a wide range of multiplication and
division facts.
Uses multiplication and division as inverse
operations.
Strategy use is dependent on knowledge of

multiples.
Students will use a combination of strategies.
Students are more confident with multiplication
than division.
Students are confident with some multiples over
others.
Modeling of strategies is needed.
Students might show evidence of different
levels.
Building place value

through grouping
Level 0: Ten as a count
The student:
Is able to count on by ones
Reconstructs the units by counting them
Able to count in multiples of ten
Level 1: Ten as a unit

Ten is seen as a single unit as well as containing
ten ones
The student counts by tens and ones on and off
the decade to find the total (2X2 digit numbers)
One of the numbers represented by material
Level 2: Tens and ones
The student solves 2 digit addition and

subtraction mentally
2a: Jump method
2b: Split method
Tens and Ones

There are 28 children at a party and 13 more
arrive. How many children are there altogether?
+10
+3
28
Jump Method
+10
41
38
+8
+3
20
30
38
Split Method
41
Place value Levels 3-5

Level 3 Hundreds, tens and ones
The student can use hundreds, tens and ones in standard
composition
The student can mentally add and subtract reasonable
combinations of numbers to 1000
Level 4 Decimal place value
The student uses tenths and hundredths to represent
fractional parts with an understanding of the positional value
of decimals
The student can interchange between tenths and hundredths
Level 5 System place value
The student appreciates that the place value system can be
extended indefinitely in two directions
Students can explain when a number is multiplied or divided
by a given power of ten
Classroom management
Whole school focus inform rest of school
through meetings
Team focus - Consultants, executive and
participating teachers working together.
Part of the professional development occurs
within on -going collegial meetings, where
teachers discuss what is happening in their
classrooms, ask questions and share resources.
CMIT activities are usually organised into a
group structure
Groups can be based on ability, mixed groups,
peer learning etc
The grouping structure allows teachers to meet

the individual need of the students.
Groups are usually based on EAS results.
However Stage 2 teachers may use M&D results
or place value aspect
Students would typically work on two activities to
a session
Sessions usually begin with a whole class warm
up activity, followed by group work and come
together at the end of the session.
Move students on using the Learning framework
to guide you.
Mixed ability groups can be useful for peer
modelling of strategies
Group structure should be flexible
Consider involvement of parents: in classrooms,
resource making especially cutting out
Some schools have developed a central location
for storing resources.

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What we believe about students

All students can be confident and competent

What is Count Me In Too

Building addition and

Building addition and

Non-count by one strategies

Why is subitising useful?

Assists students in counting on strategies

Verbal and written

Forward and backward

Counting by tens and

Level 0 may recognise some numerals but not

Finger patterns & Recording

L1. Forming equal groups

The student is able to:

L2. Perceptual multiples

The student is able to:

L3. Figurative units

L4. Repeated abstract composite

L5. Multiplication and division as

Strategy use is dependent on knowledge of

Building place value

Level 0: Ten as a count

Level 1: Ten as a unit

Level 2: Tens and ones

The student solves 2 digit addition and

Tens and Ones

Place value Levels 3-5

The grouping structure allows teachers to meet

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