Original SubjectNest draft · educator and accessibility review pending. © NeuroForgeIO Pty Ltd 2026, CC BY 4.0. This two-week formative guide samples AC9MFN03 and part of AC9MFN01. It is not a standardised test, diagnosis, grade, science assessment or proof of full Foundation achievement. Sources and separate ACARA rights are in README.md.
Set up a realistic observation roster
Plan three close-observation slots per day across Days 61–70. That provides 30 short slots; adapt to the real class size and any missed day. Work from the Week 10 portfolio and Weeks 11–12 notes, but use a new set and arrangement for any current claim. Most children work in pairs while the teacher listens to the scheduled three; Day 70 cannot include a private conference with every child in 25 minutes. Note an absence or inaccessible opportunity as NA and schedule a later one.
Show the child prompt only from print-aids.md. Prepare sets out of view so numerals in the teacher key do not supply the answer. The F1–F4 cards are held for fresh checks and not rehearsed. Offer enlarged/raised A/B mats, tactile or grippable pieces, spoken/plain-text directions, sign, AAC, a quiet setting and child-directed adult placement. These are access routes, not mathematical hints. Record any hint such as “pair them now” separately. Do not score English vocabulary, speed, species identification or knowledge of real plants and animals.
Two different pieces of mathematical evidence
Counting: Does the learner touch, move or direct one movement per item and use the last number word to name the set? Counting both sets can justify a relation because the counted quantities differ or match. Record the actual total, not merely the numeral card selected.
One-to-one pairing: Does the learner match one A to one B without reusing either? No unmatched items means equal; the side with unmatched items has more. Pairing does not by itself tell the exact totals unless the learner also counts them. For AC9MFN03, deliberately gather both counting and comparison reasoning across this fortnight.
| Evidence item | Fresh prompt and worked teacher key | What to observe |
|---|---|---|
| A · counts one set | Hide numerals; give an irregular set of 18 counters. Key: 18. | One count word per item; no double count; last word as total. |
| B · counts a second set | Give 20 counters in a different layout. Key: 20. | Same counting control as A through twenty. |
| C · compares using counted totals | Use A18/B20 from F2. Key: B more, A fewer. | Child gives both totals and a reason based on 18 versus 20. |
| D · tests equality by pairing | Use F1 A16/B16, with B widely spaced. Key: equal, zero unmatched. | Each object used once and appearance ignored. Count both to name sixteen. |
| E · tests inequality by pairing | Use F2 A18/B20. Key: 18 pairs, two B unmatched; B more. | Correct unpaired side and no object reused. Count both afterward. |
| F · reverses the greater side | Use F3 paper symbols A20/B19. Key: 19 pairs, one A unmatched; A more. | Does not always say B more; fictional drawing identity not scored. |
| G · represents zero | Use F4 A empty/B13 paper symbols. Key: A0/B13, B more; 0 pairs. | Empty A boundary linked to zero; no fabricated A item. |
| H · explains or demonstrates | Ask, “What tells you this set has more or the same number?” on any F card. | Names counted totals or shows valid one-to-one matching, with correct units. |
For each item, record I = independent evidence matching the key with chosen access route; N = independently attempted but not yet matching; S = success after a mathematical prompt; NA = not accessibly observed. Write the card, date, strategy, access format and exact prompt. NA is not zero. A verbal response and a demonstrated response can be equally informative. No validated cutoff exists; an optional “I matches / independently attempted” count is descriptive only, not a pass mark. A learner may need a smaller 6/8 or 9/10 access probe; record those actual numbers and schedule later at-least-20 evidence instead of silently changing F2's key.
Learner code: _________ Dates: __________ Access format: ______________
A count 18: I/N/S/NA Count path, last word, prompt: ____________________
B count 20: I/N/S/NA Count path, last word, prompt: ____________________
C compare 18/20: I/N/S/NA Exact reasoning: _____________________________
D equal pair 16/16: I/N/S/NA Matched/unmatched: _________________________
E unequal pair 18/20: I/N/S/NA Matched/unmatched: _______________________
F reverse 20/19: I/N/S/NA Matched/unmatched: ___________________________
G zero 0/13: I/N/S/NA Empty-set evidence: _____________________________
H explanation: I/N/S/NA Child's words/actions: _________________________
I matches / independently attempted: ____ / ____ (descriptive, no cutoff)
One smallest next teaching move: ______________ Fresh recheck date: _____
Respond and recheck
| Evidence today | Next teacher move | Different fresh recheck |
|---|---|---|
| Count words sound right, but an item is skipped/repeated | Physically move each item from uncounted to counted region once; ask what the final word names. | New 12, then 19 loose counters. |
| Learner pairs one object twice | Close completed pairs in a separate lane; use one A and one B per lane space. | New 11/11, then 12/14. |
| Learner can pair but cannot give exact totals | Keep relation correct, then count each original set separately to name sizes. | New 13/15 with both tasks. |
| Learner counts correctly but calls longer row more | Spread the smaller set wider and pair; check the count again. | New 14/16 with reversed spacing. |
| Learner calls different picture types unequal | Match one A symbol to one B regardless of image; count both. | 11 leaves/11 flower symbols in different layouts. |
| Learner misses zero | Keep A's boundary empty, ask what object a “one” would name; pair against B. | Fresh 0/6, then a new 0/17. |
| Learner compares within 10 but not near 20 | Build a full ten and count more counters; use the same movement rule. | New 18/20, then 20/19. |
| Evidence is sound across fresh concrete and paper contexts | Keep retrieval in daily routines, then move to the next planned focus. | Revisit after several days with a new arrangement or accessible virtual representation. |
If a learner says a paper leaf “could not exist,” separate the two conversations: acknowledge the scientific observation if useful, then ask about the number of marks on this sheet. The maths record cannot establish real-world plant change. Keep notes in the school's private system. The AERO monitoring guide supports choosing the next teaching move from evidence; this specific checklist has not been classroom validated.