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Number Talks Common Core Edition, Grades K-5: Helping Children Build Mental Math and Computation Strategies
Whether you want to implement number talks but are how to begin or have experience but want more guidance in crafting unsure of purposeful problems, this dynamic multimedia resource will support you in building mental math and computational strategies. The author explains what a classroom number talk is; how to follow students’ thinking and pose the right questions to build understanding; how to prepare for and design purposeful number talks; and how to develop grade-level specific thinking strategies for the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Number Talks includes connections to NCTM’s Principles and Standards for School Mathematics as well as reference tables to help you quickly and easily locate strategies, number talks, and video clips. Includes a Facilitator’s Guide and DVD.
440 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
August 9, 2018
This book is a handbook for the Number Talks program. There are MANY video clips in real classrooms with real teachers that demonstrate the processes that the book is teaching. I've been using Number Talks in my own classroom, and it is a powerful program. The book really helped me to more fully and accurately understand the principles behind the actions.
March 5, 2017
A colleague introduced me to the idea of number talks and I decided that I wanted to get more information. I work with upper elementary struggling math learners. Most of my students struggle with computation and basic math skills. I'm excited to try to incorporate these strategies into my instruction to try to build on their overall number sense and computational skills. The only thing I'd like is for the primary number talks to be in ready to use reproducible forms to save some time.
August 29, 2016
This is an excellent resource for any elementary teacher looking to improve math concepts with their students. I have a lot of great ideas for this year and can't wait to get started.
November 28, 2020
So, so. It gives you a good perception of how to do things a little more differently when math and children are combined. But that book could have been 100 pages less. You, for sure, can use this book to rething the patterns of teaching and see that math is not only numbers and numbers, but also there are a lot of things to talk about. That sometimes a little extra circle around the topic might do you good.
September 9, 2019
This is a great resource for implementing Number Talks. It provides the science behind it as well as provides specific examples that can be implemented tomorrow. I love that the book is broken up into K-2 and 3-5. It was also awesome to walk away with many Number Talks as well as the QR code option to watch teachers and classrooms in action doing Number Talks.
May 23, 2020
Great resource for classroom Teachers. It has thought out number strands to use for various addition and subtraction strategies you are focusing on. It’s also helpful to have the videos to watch along with the text.
September 19, 2021
This book is not only a good read but an Excellent resource to use day to day! It shows you how to use simple problems to get the kids really thinking deeper about the how to of math and the different ways to get to an answer not just rote memorization!
June 25, 2017
Great information and specifics for implementing Number Talks in the classroom. A helpful resource!
January 2, 2018
Very useful, I love that it comes with a DVD of example talks to watch kids and teachers interacting.
May 7, 2018
Has pre-made examples for the specific target skills in your number talks.
If you aren't familiar with number talks, then definitely read this! Excellent resource!
If you aren't familiar with number talks, then definitely read this! Excellent resource!
July 21, 2018
Using the strategies in this book will help stretch both my students and myself.
July 26, 2018
Great strategies, easy to use, research based information - makes me want to start right now!
September 23, 2016
It gets a little repetitive [literally - whole passages are copied from one chapter to another] but it's an excellent resource for what a number talk is, how to do it, and examples for k-5. I wish it had number talk strands for fractions and decimals but it's a great starting point [and made much more sense then the multiple trainings I went to through my school]. The DVD clips were especially helpful.
August 8, 2016
This is an excellent resource for facilitating purposeful number talks in any K-5 classroom. The text is easy to read and the corresponding video segments (included on a DVD) are an excellent supplement. After the overview, the book is chunked into K-2 and 3-5, allowing the reader to focus on his/her grade level... except when you are poised to teach a 2/3, like I will be next year, in which case, I read the entire book and started to find it a bit repetitious and slightly tedious. (I felt a sense of victory when I finished the whole thing though!)
All in all, I'm glad that I purchased this resource as I will likely refer to it throughout the school year and use the handy guides to help me plan number talks to target various strategies in my classroom.
All in all, I'm glad that I purchased this resource as I will likely refer to it throughout the school year and use the handy guides to help me plan number talks to target various strategies in my classroom.
January 7, 2017
This book gives a lot of good practical examples and methods on how to use Number Talks in your classroom. I found it very relevant, and not "dry" as a teacher resource. My only quibble is that the set up for learning is done in a way that is not in line with my region (we do more Reggio-style learning with learning through play, than a single structured "math" time including Calendar, etc). I will use the 5-15 minute number talks in my room, and then find ways to incorporate the other parts (Math Investigation/Math Menus) into their center time in a natural way.
November 11, 2013
This book is truly a great resource for any teacher wanting to increase his or her students' "math talk" and critical thinking skills. By providing sample problems for students to solve in multiple ways, student conversation and math vocabulary are encouraged and normalized. In addition, through student-led discussion about the various ways to problem solve, classmates learn from each other and see that there is more than one way to find a solution.
August 11, 2012
Excellent ideas of how to stretch our students mathematical thinking past rote memorization and worksheets. It explains how rich math conversations help develop thinking beyond algorithms and encourages interaction between students to deepen their understanding. A must read for any math educator.
November 2, 2012
Wish math was taught this way to me. I might have liked it more! Great book for elementary schools looking to improve math instruction. I'm an education nerd, so I really enjoyed it! Took a little more time to dig into it than I anticipated, but well worth it. Not really the kind of education book t just one and start teaching from the next day, but the DVD lessons are really helpful.
January 8, 2017
An excellent introduction and overview to number talks and how to effectively use them in the classroom. I love how the overarching purpose and then instructional goals are all laid and then supported with actual examples of number strings to use! Makes for an incredibly useful resource in so many ways.
December 26, 2010
This book should be every math teacher's bible! So many strategies are explained and touched on. Definitely a book I can see using as an ongoing resource in my classroom. Can't wait to do a bookstudy on it at school this upcoming month!
June 23, 2012
An incredible book that taught me a great deal about math conversations. I still have to watch the accompanying DVDs but this book taught me lots about being strategic and focused while being student-centered and inquiry-based in math computation. Lots to think about.
August 27, 2013
I love the way they teach mental math! I did this with my second graders last year and I'm looking forward to teaching this to my fourth grade students this year. The video's are great and I love how they sequence the strategies!
November 24, 2013
The accompanying DVD shows exactly how these number sense building activities look and sound. I have used these a classrooms and the kids thinking always surprises me. I have learned a lot about the students and their thinking through using Number Talks.
August 7, 2016
This book was easy to read and I recommend it to all elementary teachers. I am looking forward to building my students number sense. Also looking forward to beginning number talks with my students at the beginning of next school year.
May 11, 2016
Not bad, but a bit dated by now. I guess it's a good step-by-step, very clear set of instructions for leading number talks. The possibilities of number talks beyond the strand of Number Sense and Numeration exist, but are not at all mentioned by the author.
June 22, 2013
I hope the rest of the staff take the time to read this book before school starts. I can't wait to start using these ideas and implementing "number talks" into my daily math lessons!
October 6, 2013
I am very excited to share this book with my colleagues. I am even more excited to implement in the classroom. Books that include clips of actual instruction in the classroom are wonderful.
May 31, 2014
Must have for anyone who teaches math.
November 20, 2014
This will be an excellent resource for me to use!
January 3, 2015
One of the best books I've ever used as a resource!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews