3 helpful tips for choosing the right number talk

Once you understand the basic number talk routines in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade, it’s time to learn how to intentionally choose a Number Talk that is best for your students and best supports your math lesson plan goals. 

Choosing the right number talk is definitely an art that gets better over time.  If you are new to Math Talks, my suggestion is that you just pick something–anything–and try it out.  Just jump in head first and follow these basic number talk routines.

You will find out quickly if you picked well or not! Ha!  If you missed the mark, don’t be afraid to stop in the middle and tell the kids you’ll start over later that day or tomorrow.  My hands up because I’ve totally done this a few times!  It’s okay–no, it’s good–for kids to see that adults and teachers mess up too! 🙂

Here are 3 questions I ask myself every time I am planning a Math Talk.

What is my goal for this number talk?

The goal I’m working on in math should determine what number talk I use.

If my math goal for the week is counting on strategies with my word problems routines, I need to choose number talk images with a set that’s easy to subitize and count on.

If I’m working on shape attributes, I need to choose a shape talk that asks kids to defend what makes a triangle a triangle.

If I’m working on making a ten, I need to choose ten frame number talks to help kids see how many more to ten.  Or I need to choose equations with numbers that can be combined to make ten and some more (3 + 4 + 7) or decomposed to make 10 (5 + 6).

Here’s a look Week 5 of my Guided Math Workshop Plans that shows our weekly goal and the math talk I chose to support that goal.

TIP #1: Look at your big math goal for the week and choose a number talk that helps develop that goal or skill.

What strategies do I want to see kids use?

If I want first grade kids to show FLUENT THINKING, I stick with number talk images and equations that will push kids to do something besides counting all.  Those are images that can easily be subitized.  Or they can be number talks that have the bigger set on the right side so that they add on from the bigger number.  Those are also equations that have a clear bigger number (2+12) or have a 10 in them (5 + 3 + 5).

If I want students to show FLEXIBLE THINKING, I tend to use number talk images or equations with more than 2 numbers.  Images always encourage a wide range of strategies because everyone sees the pictures differently where a basic equation, most kids read left to right and it’s harder to push them outside of that box.

TIP #2: Your number talk should “force” kids to use the strategies you want to move them to.

What Type of Number Talk Works Best?

In first grade, I do a mix of images and equations.  At the beginning of the year, the mix is probably about 70% images.  By the end of the year, that is flipped with about 70% of our Math Talks being equations.

In kindergarten, all Math Talks will be images at the beginning of the year.  And we will move to 30% of them being equations by the end of the year.

In second grade, the mix is mostly equations with a few images here and there as needed!

TIP #3: Use more images for younger kids and move to more equation number talks as they get older!

For my first grade and second grade teacher friends that don’t want to have to think about all of this, I have planned out math talks that match each weekly goal in my first grade math lesson plans and second grade math lesson plans!