Early Number Concepts and Strategies

Title Definition Representation

Movement is Magnitude


When moving up the counting sequence, the quantity increases, and
when moving down or backwards in the sequence, the quantity
decreases.




Conservation



The count for a set of objects stays the same whether the objects are
spread out or close together. The only way the count can change is
when objects are added to, or removed from the set.








Cardinality



After a set has been counted, the last number counted represents the
number of objects in that set.









Abstraction



Quantity can be represented by different objects. Any kinds of objects
can be collected together to count. For example, the quantity 5 can
be represented by 5 like objects, by 5 different objects or by 5 invisible
things (5 ideas).




Subitizing


The ability to recognize the number of objects at a glance, without
having to count all the objects.



Stable Order


The counting sequence is always consistent. Counting words must be
recited in a specific, reproducible order. It is always 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and
not 1, 2, 3, 5, 4.


1,2,3,4,5,6
not
1,2,3,4,6,8,9,10


Order Irrelevance


The counting of objects can begin with any object in the set and the
total will remain the same.




1 2 3 4 5
6
5 2
3 4
OR
6 in this group 6 in this group
1
6 5
2
3 4
1
1
2
3
4
5
6
Early Number Concepts and Strategies

Title Definition Representation

One-to-one correspondence


Each object being counted must be given one count and only one
count. The number word spoken and the object counted must match
up. It is useful in the early stages for children to actually tag each
item being counted and to move an item out of the way as it is
counted.




Unitizing


Children use number to simultaneously count not only objects, but
also groups of objects, e.g. 5 cents is also one group of five (a nickel).
It is the underlying principle for the understanding of place value; ten
objects become one ten. Depending on where a numeral is placed in a
number, it can represent ones or tens or hundreds.



Part/Part/Whole


A number can be composed of and decomposed into two or more
parts. In order to do this, the child must simultaneously maintain the
quantity of the whole while thinking about the parts, for example,
six counters can be decomposed into 5 counters and 1 counter, or
two counters and 4, and so on






five and one is six

Hierarchical
Inclusion


Numbers build by exactly one each time and nest within each other
by this amount. This relationship means that the child mentally
includes one in two, two in three, three in four, and so on. After
counting 8 objects, a child who does not have hierarchical inclusion
will think of 8 only as the final object, not as the quantity of the
entire set.









6 counters

Equivalence

A quantity can be partitioned in different ways and still be equal.

3 + 5 = 4 + 4 = 8 = 1 + 7= 2 + 6


Adapted From: Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2009). Learning and Teaching Early Math: The Learning Trajectories Approach. New York: Routledge.. Ministry of Education. (2003). Early Math strategy: The Report of the Expert Panel on Early Math in
Ontario. Number and Operations: Facilitators Guide. (2005). PRIME- Professional Resources and Instruction for Mathematics Educators. Scarborough Ontario: Nelson Education Limited.