Elizabeth Blackwell- S00126377
Mathematics Individual Learning Plan
Mathematics Focus:
This Individual Learning Plan will focus on experiences that will assist the child reach the following growth points:
Counting: 1. Rote counts to 2. Counts a collection 3. Counts forwards &
at least 20
Place Value: 1. Reading, writing,
interpreting and ordering
single digit numbers.
Addition & Subtraction 1. Count all
Strategies:
Multiplication & 1. Count all (multiple groups)
Division Strategies:
Classroom Activities:
Counting
Tuning in activity: Twister
card. Spin the spinner and
whatever number it lands on
state what one more/one less
than that number is.
Follow on lesson:
Before/after bingo. Teacher
will draw a number between
1-100 and then the student
will cover the number on a
hundreds chart that comes
before/after the drawn
number.
Tuning in activity: Hundreds
chart roll the dice. With a
hundreds chart and some
counters roll the dice then
move to that number on the
chart. Once you roll again you
will move that many squares.
Eg. first you roll a 6 so you
put your counter on 6 then
you roll a 4 so you put your
counter on 10. This will
increase familiarity with
hundreds charts and counting
on.
Follow on lesson: With a
floor mat hundreds chart the
child will start standing on 0
and then have to move
forwards/backwards however
many squares the dice rolls
on. After each roll she will
then be asked what is one
more/one less? This will also
help with recognition of
numbers.
Tuning in activity: Counting
on in a collection. Teacher and
student will count the number
of jumps, claps, hops etc. first
Name: Shanley
of about 20 items backwards by ones, from
any starting point
2. Reading, writing,
interpreting and ordering
2 digit numbers.
2. Count on
2. Modelling multiplication & division 3. Abstracting multiplication and
when all items are perceived
Place Value
Tuning in activity: Tens
frame snap. To familiarise
the child with tens frames
and frames not set out in
an array play snap with the
frames. Firstly play
traditional snap then
change to play +/-1 snap.
Follow on lesson: Number
busting. Get a blank tens
frame and some counters.
Put 5 counters in an array
and ask how many. Now
move the counters to not
be in an array and ask
again how many. Highlight
that there are many ways
to make one number
because that was 5+0 and
2+3. What are some
different ways we can
make 5/8/10/20?
Tuning in activity:
Understanding tens and
ones. Ask questions like
how many ones are in
15? and how many tens
are in 15? to gauge the
knowledge of the student.
Then with cards between
1-20 ask the child to
collect that many counters.
Encourage them to stack
the counters in tens and
ones on top of the numbers
on the card to represent the
whole number.
Follow on lesson: Change
your number. With a
collection between 1-20 to
begin with draw a card and
then make the number
Year Level: 1
4. Skip count by 5. Skip count by 2s,
2s, 5s & 10s 5s & 10s from X
3. Reading, writing, 4. Reading, writing,
interpreting and ordering interpreting and ordering
3 digit numbers 3 digit numbers
3. Count back/Counts down 4. Basic Strategies
to/ counts up from
division
Addition & Subtraction Multiplication & Division
Tuning in activity: The
Magicians hat. Tell the
children that there are a
certain number (10-20)
frogs in the hat. Say that
you are going to add some
frogs eg. 2 or 4 to the hat.
Ask the student to work
out how many frogs by
counting on.
Follow on lesson: Count
on two. Show the child a
number card between 10-
20 then ask them to
imagine that many
counters. If I added two
more counters how many
would there be? Can be
extended to add 3
counters or a higher
starting number.
Many of the counting
and place value activities
fall under addition and
subtraction as well.
These include:
Twister card
Before/after bingo
Hundreds chart roll the
dice
Tens frame snap
Number busting
Understanding tens and
ones
Change your number
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 Elizabeth Blackwell- S00126377

starting from zero then using materials. Make sure

pretending that they have
already jumped 10 times and
counting on from 10.
Follow on lesson: Roll the
dice. Roll the dice and then
collect that many teddies.
Hide the teddies under a
container and then roll the
dice again. How many teddies
are there now? Remind
student about tuning in
activity and that they can
count on not count all.
it is grouped in tens and
ones to represent it. Then
challenge the player to
make a different number.
Eg. if they have 13 ask
them to make 17. The
player states what they will
do then makes the change.
Depending on students
understanding you can
extend it to be larger
numbers.

Home Activities:
At home parents can select a two digit number and then ask their child what one more or one less is.
They can have a hundreds chart hung up in their house for familiarization with the chart.
They can play the hundreds chart roll the dice game with their child.

1.1, 1.2, 1.5: The writing in GREEN shows my ability to understand the
student and how she learns, understand her development and cater my teaching
to meet her learning needs.

Comments:
Ensure the use of wait time with Shanley. She was often able to correctly answer a question after given
sufficient wait time.

The student I am working with has a great enthusiasm for maths and using counting materials which is a huge
positive in helping her learn. I am hoping to be able to teach her how to efficiently use the materials because
even when they were in front of her she still automatically used her fingers and began to panic when the
number was larger than 10. Therefore I have tried to incorporate different concrete materials for her to use in
every activity and given the opportunity for her to move around whilst still engaging with maths, as seen by the
hundreds chart floor mat. She became restless quite easily when an activity dragged so therefore I am hoping
by moving around she will remain on task and be engaged. She often was unable to explain her thinking or
reasoning, replying with I thought about it as an answer to how did you know that? According to Tickle
(2001) using hands on problem solving activities is a good way for students to be able to display and explain
their thinking process which is another important reason to provide Shanley with a variety of concrete
materials.
The results of the interview highlighted a few issues with her counting strategies such as; counting by ones,
counting all, using her fingers even when she had materials in front of her and having trouble counting
forwards/backwards from a given number over 10. I am hoping to work with Shanley to make her a more
efficient counter through a number of activities. These include the twister card and before/after bingo games.

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Use of a hundreds chart for this Individual Learning Plan is key, as when counting by ones Shanleys sequence
went from 29 to 50. I am hoping that by her becoming familiar with the layout of a hundreds chart she will
understand sequence of numbers more thoroughly and her counting will not just be from rote learning but a
clear idea of number sequence.
Shanley needed a long period of wait time before answering questions. Several times I almost rephrased the
question for her before she spoke and was able to answer correctly. It is important to use wait time
appropriately and allow students to mentally compute problems, as many researchers say that mental
calculation is where children learn how numbers work and where they make decisions about algorithms and
strategies (Heirdsfield, 2002). This is also highlighted in an article called Addition and Subtraction which
states that the key to getting students up to the expected level by the end of Grade 2 lies in developing mental
calculation methods. By using concrete materials Shanley will be able to visualise the materials and how she
will solve the problem, progressing from counting on her fingers. Gervansoni highlights the importance of
visualisation in bringing the problem to life and take problem solving to a whole new creative level. The article
makes you aware that maths is more than just numbers on a page and that is how we need to encourage or
students to see it. By Shanley having strong mental images of concrete materials she will improve her mental
calculation and become a more efficient mathematical problem solver.
I am looking forward to working with Shanley and watching her mathematical and thinking skills improve.

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References
Addition and Subtraction: Mental Mathematics is the linchpin of the Numeracy Strategy. pp. 193.

Gervansoni, A. Lessons From the Birds and the Bees about how to teach Mathematics. pp. 85-88.

Heirdsfield, A., (2002). Mental Methods Moving Along. Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom. pp. 4-8.
Tickle, B., (2001). Talking about Thinking. pp. 12-14.