Number Talks

Over the last few years, number talks, also known as math talks, have become an important part of our math program within my district. The emphasis has been placed on students being able to "think" about math and be able to explain this thinking. For first grade, I can say that in a way, number talks have always been the emphasis. You need to talk through everything to help these young learners begin to develop number sense. The difference between what I have done in the past and what I do today, is that before I was doing most of the talking and explaining. Now, students are doing more of that.

Number talks encourage all students to be active as a problem is presented. All students should be thinking about the problem and trying to mentally solve it. As students come up with the solution they indicate that they are ready by showing a thumbs up, which is held in front of their chest. After students have had some time to solve the problem students share how they came up with the solution. The teacher (or student) records the process on the board, clarifying as necessary, so that everyone can see how the problem was solved and the strategy that was used. The teacher continues to have other students share the different ways that they solved the problem. This allows students to see that there is more than one way to solve the problem. It gives them a better sense of how the numbers can be manipulated. Number talks are not meant to be a long lesson. They are short 8-10 minute talks that are intended to help students learn to manipulate numbers, learn more strategies, and build their overall fluency.

As I was visiting a website that was sent out by my district I came across a Number Talks Youtube video by Jo Boaler. It is a good video to help both teachers and parents understand how number talks work, not just how they are done, but the overall benefit and importance of the process and the effect.

Here is the link if you would like to check it out: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXNG6GKFhQM&list=PLE38FCD0E140F5113&index=10

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Benefits of Bedtime Reading

I just read an article, Bedtime Stories for Young Brains, by Perri Klass, M.D. There were some things that really stuck out to me, even though I was aware of the benefits of bedtime stories, this perspective made me stop and think about it a little more.

Yes, so we all know that spending time with our children and reading to them is a nice and lovely thing to do. It is a special time to enjoy with our children and to show them how much we love them. We also know that it is a good way for children to see patterns and learn sight words, but there is more to it than that. When kids hear a story they are able to mentally picture these images through their “mind’s eye.” The practice of developing these visual images will help them later to become better readers and to develop the comprehension that goes with it.

I have a book of fairy tales in my classroom. It is a book that my husband gave me when I first started teaching. Every class that I have ever had has loved when I read from this book. It doesn’t have many pictures, and I don’t show the pictures until after I have read the page. My students always try to sneak a peek, but I encourage them to use their imagination first. This book is a great way for students to begin using their visual imagination.

Besides spending precious time with our children at bedtime, and helping them strengthen their visual imagery, there is an additional benefit to reading with our children. This is the benefit of building vocabulary. As a teacher I definitely have seen the benefits of this. The books that we read in class provide students with exposure to words that don’t normally come up in everyday conversation… that is until we have read/heard it from a book and discussed it. Students initially overuse the words and not always in the correct context, but eventually many of these words become part of their verbal/written vocabulary.

When my children were young they often had other kids comment on their vocabulary. It was hard for my husband and I to understand why this was, it was just the way we spoke. Now that I have grand kids, I’m able to see it much more clearly. My grand kids use vocabulary that sometimes surprises me, and they use it naturally. Since a very young age, my granddaughter has used the word, “adorable,” to comment on cute puppies and babies. It isn’t that we spend time drilling our grand kids on vocabulary; it is just what they have been exposed to through books, conversations, and experiences.

With the school year beginning and many of my first graders not yet being readers, I definitely want to remind my families of the importance of spending time reading together. There are just so many benefits to it. 

If you are interested in reading the article, Bedtime Stories for Young Brains,you can click on the link.   Bedtime Stories Link 

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Teaching Inference

Teaching inferencing to young readers can be difficult, yet as students are being asked to read at higher levels, the teaching of inferencing becomes greater. Students need to have inferencing in order to help with the comprehension of  these higher level books.

The major obstacle with inferencing is that young readers just don’t have enough life experience (background knowledge). In order to help them with this we need to help them learn how to use clues from the text along with what they know about a situation to help them understand how to pick up on inferences.  

As young readers are reading books or as we read to them, it is common for us to focus on the retelling of a story and making prediction. Very little time, if any, is spent on making inferences. You may even be unclear about what the differences are between predictions and inferences. Maybe this will help to clear it up.  

Inferences and Predictions: In both inferences and predictions you use the text to support your ideas. You also use your background knowledge (life experiences) to help support these ideas.

Prediction: A prediction is a guess about what we think will happen in the future. It is almost always confirmed.

Inference: An inference is made about things that have happened in the past or at the current time. Inferences are rarely confirmed, but they are logical based on what we have learned (text) and what we know (background knowledge). 

It really doesn’t take a lot of explaining, but it does take practice to really begin to understand what an inference is. The first step is to be conscious of the need for it. As you read with your students either whole class or in a group, be sure to take the time for students to make inferences. I like to support my students in this way, but I also like to have something that holds them a little more accountable than just a partner share. This was one of my main reasons for created a Daily Inference booklet. It is a resource that I have made available at my TpT Store if you are interested in checking it out.

Daily Inference Book

 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Daily-Inference-Book-1924917