Number Talks 

Number Talks are a short, daily maths routine that helps students develop strong number sense, mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills. During a Number Talk, students are presented with a maths problem and encouraged to solve it mentally in different ways. Students share their strategies, explain their thinking and listen to how others approach the same problem. 

The focus is not just on getting the correct answer, but on understanding how and why a strategy works. Teachers record student thinking and use discussions to build connections between different methods, strengthen mathematical language and develop confidence in explaining ideas.

At GEPS, every classroom from Kindergarten to Year 6 participates in Number Talks at least three times a week as part of our consistent approach to mathematics teaching and learning. These sessions may include activities such as finding different ways to make a number, solving addition or subtraction problems mentally, exploring multiplication strategies or noticing patterns. 

Parents can support Number Talks at home by asking children questions such as:

“How did you work that out?”

“Can you find another way?”

“Can you explain your thinking?” 

Simple activities like discussing number patterns while driving, asking how many ways you can make a number, or solving everyday problems (e.g. sharing items equally) help children practice the same skills in a meaningful way.