Number sense skills in the foundation phase through technology-enhanced mental mathematics activities

Background: Foundation phase teachers are encouraged to develop learners’ number sense skills in their teaching and learning activities. Despite the significance of teaching number skills in mental mathematics activities, there are inadequate guidelines that could assist teachers in developing number sense skills through technology-enhanced mental mathematics activities. Aim: To examine the development of number sense through technology-enhanced mental mathematics skills in the foundation phase. Setting: The study was conducted in Limpopo province from three primary schools. Methods: A case study design was employed in qualitative research. Semi-structured interviews, interpretive document analysis and non-participant observations were used to collect data from six Grade 3 teachers. Results: This article found that foundation phase teachers possess strong content and pedagogical knowledge for developing number sense skills, often using play-based and game-based strategies to engage learners. However, they face challenges in integrating technology because of limited resources and insufficient guidance in the curriculum framework. Conclusion: There is a need to integrate technology-enhanced mental mathematics activities to develop number sense skills in the foundation phase. Even though teachers demonstrate strong content and pedagogical knowledge, findings relating to technological integration highlight the need for professional development and curriculum support. Contribution: This article contributes to theory, practice and policy by demonstrating how technology-enhanced mental mathematics activities support the development of number sense skills in the foundation phase. It extends the Technology pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) framework to the foundation phase of mathematics teaching, highlighting the interplay between the use of technology, content knowledge and pedagogical approaches to create inclusive, engaging, play-based pedagogies and effective learning environments.