Everyone close your eyes and relax. Imagine you are a skydiver and your target below is a 100-number square. You parachute to Earth and you land on the number 64. Look at the numbers that surround you. Look at the number above you and step on to it. Now go left three squares then down one.
Finally, move two spaces south-east. Where are you now? Think about it. Now open your eyes and write the number of your square on your wipeboard. Show me your wipeboards. Now let’s take a look and see what answers we have.
Visualisation techniques and activities used in conjunction with a wipeboard can be approached in lots of ways. With your mind’s eye try to see where 65 would be placed on a number line. Where would it go? Imagine a clock showing 8.20 and then hold it to a mirror. What time is it now? Imagine a transparent parallelogram with the number 253 printed on it. Now turn it over. Draw what you can see on your wipeboard.
Craft your own age-appropriate activities and get children to create their own, too. You will soon see a difference in their thinking
John Dabell is a numeracy consultant and teacher trainer
