What Is Structured Maths?
What is structured maths?
This is a teaching approach based on decades of research, not one person's bright idea or thesis.
- Every class in the school follows the same plan of learning to provide consistency.
- Each teacher knows what to teach, when to teach it, and how to teach it.
- Structured materials are used to illustrate and deepen understanding of mathematics.
This creates consistency and rich development for each child.
The plan is sequenced and repeated cyclically with a rich scope so children have many opportunities to build confident mathematical knowledge.
The New Zealand Curriculum provides the scope in achievement statements. While it is not sequenced lesson-by-lesson through a year, it provides a learning journey from one year to the next.
Explicit Teaching and CPA
Children value teachers who explain mathematical language and show how maths works and why. This is explicit teaching.
To help children understand mathematics, the CPA method is used: Concrete -> Pictorial -> Abstract.
We all learn this way. In reading, we first experience real objects, then pictures, then words. Mathematics works similarly: students explore real groups and relationships before moving to pictures and symbols.
Numbers are abstract ideas, so they must be represented through concrete materials, then pictorial models, then numerals and symbols.
This approach invites children to talk about what they do and see. Maths is about communicating, exploring relationships, and generalising ideas.
Numicon Is A Structured/Mastery Approach
Does it work? Yes. Schools using the Numicon approach regularly report strong improvements in one year, with high student engagement and participation.
Teachers value Numicon because lessons are provided while still allowing creativity in planning and delivery.
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