Teacher's Guide for Core Place Value Concepts: Teaching Strategies and Recommended Resources

Introduction Alongside the cardinal concept of numbers, and the part-whole concept, the concept of place value is recognised as a critical component in the development of number understanding for children. Our number system is based on five principles: the principle of bundling and unbundling; the decimal system; the principle of place value; the multiplicative principle; and the additive principle. Teachers require a complete understanding of the concept of place value, and how to teach the concept, as well as appropriate working materials (e.g., MABs, place value charts, place value apps) to assist children in developing a robust understanding of place value. Although the five principles apply regardless of the base being used, in this guide we will only refer to work with students using Base Ten. The structure of this guide follows a similar pattern for each of the topics and includes a definition, a selection of (some) appropriate representations, possible misconceptions, and how to correct them. Each of the sections are accompanied by explanations and worked examples; however, feel free to customise these examples to suit your learning context. We hope this guide is useful in supporting your teaching of place value.