Thinking Deeply about Primary Education Mathematical Talk: The Heartbeat of Classroom Thinking (with Amy How)
Oct 11, 2025
Amy How, an education practitioner and primary mathematics consultant, dives into the transformative power of mathematical talk in the classroom. She discusses how talk can reveal student thinking and support reasoning, while also serving as a diagnostic tool for teachers. Amy introduces the COP framework for assessing learning and critiques superficial methods in favor of rich, open dialogue. She emphasizes strategies to engage all students, create a safe environment for mistakes, and foster a culture of genuine mathematical communication.
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Talk Reveals And Builds Mathematical Reasoning
- Mathematical talk both reveals student thinking and develops reasoning skills.
- Talk allows teachers to spot misconceptions and supports growth from explanation to proof.
Read The Room Before Forcing Talk
- Practice reading the room so you use talk strategies at the right time.
- Build experience so you know when to prompt, when to observe, and when to intervene.
Use COP For Ongoing Assessment
- Be a 'COP': have Conversations, make Observations, and check Products.
- Use those three together as assessment-for-learning to inform next steps.