Purpose: choose what to teach next after a fortnight of practical add/remove and a midyear revisit of numbers to at least 20. Use fresh large counters, an accessible ten-frame or equivalent. This is formative evidence, not a timed fluency ranking, a diagnosis, or a complete Foundation achievement-standard decision. Save first independent response, exact prompt, route and a later corrected response separately. Not observed means the item was inaccessible or not attempted; it is not zero.
Four fresh tasks, with exact keys
- Number and comparison. Hand over a full ten-frame and five loose counters. “Show me how many altogether and choose its numeral.” Expected 15, represented as ten and five, with numeral 15. Then show 13 as ten and three on a separate mat. “Which collection has more? How do you know?” Expected 15 is greater, by two extra counters when tens match, an accurate count, or another visible valid reason. Do not score a lucky numeral choice as matched representation.
- Add and remove. Start a new paper tray with 6 large square tokens. Add 3 round tokens. “How many are in the tray now?” Expected 9; a child may count all, count on from six, or use a known part relation if they show/justify it. Reset to 9 with new tokens. Remove 2. Expected 7 remain. Show the start, operation and end as separate evidence. No arithmetic symbol is required.
- Part–whole. Give 8 identical safe counters and two trays. “Make two groups that use all eight. How many are in each? How do you know none is missing?” Any accurate split, including 0 and 8, is valid. If a child uses 3 and 5, expected whole 8. Ask for a second distinct split only if access and time permit; do not turn fluency speed into the criterion.
- Order. Mix cards 0, 9, 14, 20. Ask for least to greatest and one matching collection. Expected 0, 9, 14, 20; zero can be an empty tray, fourteen a full ten-frame and four. A correct card order without any collection match is partial evidence of numeral order, not of representation.
Do not reuse the exact setup cards from Days 91–99 for independent assessment. If a child needs a repeated direction, log it; if they need an adult to move objects under their own direction, preserve the child's mathematical control. A child may point, sign, AAC-compose, type, use large textured pieces or a digital number model. Check sensory/motor access before interpreting a count error.
| Observation | Next teaching action |
|---|---|
| Skips/recounts an object | Use a stable row of 4–6, move each to a counted tray, then recheck a fresh set. |
| Says “fifty-one” or reverses 15/51 | Build one ten and five loose counters, pair it with numeral 15, then contrast with a new teen. |
| Counts final tray but not start/change | Photograph or draw the start, move objects visibly, then ask the child to narrate the operation before recounting. |
| Reorders cards but cannot show a matching collection | Build 9 and 14 with ten-frame support and compare one-to-one or ten-and-some. |
| Accurate and independently explained | Transfer to a fresh play, book, art or garden-paper situation; keep ordinary daily number review. |
Private record: learner code ; date ; access route ; number 15 model ; 15 vs 13 reason ; 6 add 3 first ; 9 remove 2 first ; eight split ; order ; matched collection ; exact prompt/help ; next action ; recheck date ___. School-approved private storage only.
Original assessment © 2026 NeuroForgeIO Pty Ltd, CC BY 4.0. Proposed national curriculum links and official source are in README.md. Human educator, accessibility and local-syllabus review pending.