Numeracy skills are explicit teaching in the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics. Students need opportunities to recognise that mathematics is constantly used outside the mathematics classroom and that numerate people apply general mathematical skills in a wide range of familiar and unfamiliar situations.
Using mathematical skills across the curriculum enriches the study of other learning areas and helps to develop a broader and deeper understanding of numeracy. It is essential that the mathematical ideas with which students interact are relevant to their lives.
Australian Curriculum: Mathematics
The Australian Curriculum: Mathematics provides students with essential mathematical skills and knowledge in number and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability … Mathematics is composed of multiple but interrelated and interdependent concepts and systems which students apply beyond the mathematics classroom … (Australian Curriculum: Mathematics, Rationale 2017)
The Australian Curriculum: Mathematics sets teaching expectations for mathematics learning at each year level, providing carefully paced, in-depth study of critical mathematical skills and concepts. The curriculum focuses on developing the mathematical proficiencies of understanding, fluency, reasoning and problem solving. These proficiencies are reflected in the National Numeracy Learning Progression rather than specifically identified.
The National Numeracy Learning Progression helps teachers to develop fine-grain understandings of student numeracy development in the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics, especially in the early years. It is particularly useful in guiding teachers to support students whose numeracy development is above or below the age-equivalent curriculum expectations of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics. The progression has not been designed as a checklist and does not replace the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics.
Each sub-element has been mapped to the year-level expectations set by the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics.
Other Australian Curriculum learning areas
This National Numeracy Learning Progression is designed to assist schools and teachers in all learning areas to support their students to successfully engage with the numeracy demands of the F–10 Australian Curriculum.
Advice is included on identifying the numeracy demands of each subject in the Australian Curriculum. [Hyperlink] This advice will assist teachers to identify opportunities to support students’ numeracy development and to provide meaningful contexts for the application of numeracy skills.