5 Surprising benefits of number talk in secondary math classrooms
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5 Surprising Benefits of Number Talks 
in Secondary Math Classrooms
May 14, 2021
Jackie Palmquist  Introduce yourself 
@thumbsupmath In the chat please.
[email protected]
5 Surprising Benefits of Number Talks 
in Secondary Math Classrooms
Equity & Access
How can Number Talks open doors for 
Equity & Access in every math classroom?


Today in math class?
Notice & Wonder 
In chat

“ Success in algebra 
(and beyond) depends 
on understanding the 
very concepts that are 
concealed in algorithms. 
Ruth Parker & Cathy Humphreys”
Which one doesn’t  
belong and why?
Which one doesn’t  
belong and why?
Which one doesn’t  
belong and why?
Number Talks
A mental math routine that provides insight 
into the minds of your students as they 
describe, decipher and defend ideas around 
a single prompt using only their prior 
knowledge and personal background.
Which one doesn’t  
belong and why?
a b
c d
WAIT 
Enter after 
timer expires
Algebra
From hiding to having a voice
From hiding to having a voice
“ 
That’s pretty 
Cool I would not have 
thought of it that way. 
-Steven 
“
Which one doesn’t belong 
and why?

Expected Benefits
Classroom Culture Voice
Risk Taking & Mistake Making Everyone has Opportunity 
to Share Thinking 
Building conceptual 
 understanding together
Valuing and respecting each voice
building human relationships 
Audience Check in 
In chat, type the number that 
describes your Number Talk reality.
1.  Number Talk enthusiast 
2.  Dabbled with using them 
3.  Heard of them, haven’t tried them 
4.  Haven’t heard of them 
5.  Other… describe your own
Enter  
Number
Let’s do a 
 Number Talk
OVERVIEW 
• Get Ready - fist to chest 
• Get Thinking - show the prompt 
• Wait - Wait - Wait 
• Students share answers only 
• Teacher elicits and records student thinking 
• Convince & Compare & Connect




16 x 12
A few thoughts before we begin
Do not worry, do not fret. Number Talks are a team effort. We will learn together. 
It’s talking about math. By that I mean we will be making sense of numbers, building 
upon current strategies, sharing and discussing our mathematical thinking. 
It is a safe place: no grades, no judgement. We value everyone’s thoughts and voices 
and the voices in their heads. 
In this space, we accept all ideas. We value and expect mistakes, we respect mistakes 
and we inspect mistakes. So please make some mistakes, this is how we will grow. 
Have an open mind. There are many ways to solve, describe and decipher prompts. 
Let’s begin!
16 x 12
Anticipated strategies
Is your strategy represented? 
Why Number Talks in Secondary Math?
I am getting better at 
mental math along side 
my students, we are 
always learning and 
growing. 
Expected Benefits
Developing flexible  Building conceptual 
mathematical thinking  understanding 
Teachers improving along side students 
Improving questioning strategies
And better at listening to student thinking 
Components of a  
Number Talk 
Selecting: Choose a prompt or problem intentionally  
Anticipating: Anticipate student responses 
Do Number Talk Routine: In person or virtual 
            Questioning & Capturing to elicit student thinking 
     Connecting student thinking to strategies and models 
Reflect: Consider student responses and determine next move
Components of a  
Number Talk 
Selecting: Choose a prompt or problem intentionally  
Anticipating: Anticipate student responses 
Do Number Talk Routine: In person or virtual 
            Questioning & Capturing to elicit student thinking 
     Connecting student thinking to strategies and models 
Reflect: Consider student responses and determine next move
Let’s do  
Another Number Talk
Or


Select & Sequence
Compare 
& 
Connect
What do students think about Number Talks?
Syncere 
Sophomore Geometry 
Metea Valley HS
Let’s explore one more of my 
favorite Number Talks 

Find 5 Numbers  
whose Mean is 8
AP Statistics
AP Statistics
AP Statistics
AP Statistics
AP Statistics
Expected Benefits
Students as owners  in’Formative’ 
of the knowledge daily instruction
Building on students prior knowledge and 
connecting previous content to new ideas
ALL students benefiting from the routine 
Reluctant learners, Typical learners 
Learners with IEPs ELLs, and even AP  
Expected Benefits
Students as owners  in’Formative’ 
of the knowledge daily instruction
Building on students prior knowledge and 
connecting previous content to new ideas
StudentAsL Lr estaudlleyn tesn bjeonye fditiongin frgo mN tuhem robuetirn eT alks
Reluctant learners, Typical learners 
Learners with IEPs ELLs, and even AP  
Equity & Access
How can Number Talks open doors for 
Equity & Access in every math classroom?

Share 
In  
Chat
Equity & Access
How can Number Talks open doors for 
Equity & Access in every math classroom?

Equity & Access
How can Number Talks open doors for 
Equity & Access in every math classroom?

Equity & Access
How can Number Talks open doors for 
Equity & Access in every math classroom?

Thank You 
for  
sharing
Expected Benefits & More Than 5 
https://tinyurl.com/MMCNumberTalks
Thank you 
Continue the Number Talks Conversation 
[email protected] 
On Twitter @thumbsupmath 
#NumberTalks #HSNumberTalks #MSNumberTalks
https://tinyurl.com/MMCNumberTalks

What ARE Number Talks?
MJ visiting his 3rd Grade  
Teacher Ms. Allison
What do students think about Number Talks?
Fernando 
Senior Transition Math 
Metea Valley HS
Which one 
doesn’t  
belong 
and why?
What advice do you have for teachers just 
starting out with Number Talks?
“ 
Be Consistent 
I need to live the way I 
expect my students to 
live… 
Trial and error, trial and 
error. 
“
What really are they?
Who are they for?
How often?
Where do I find them?
How do I learn more?
Virtual Handout 
https://tinyurl.com/bcpsnumbertalks
Number Talks
What are they? 
Why should I? 
How do I even? 
Number Talks
What are they? 
Why should I? 
How do I even? 
More than one right way to solve a problem