Planning

Teaching maths in primary classrooms isn’t just about following a program or ticking off codes — it’s about helping children understand the mathematical ideas behind the curriculum.

The A+ Teacher Club Guides to Teaching are written by teachers, for teachers. Each one breaks down a maths concept step by step so you know what to teach, when to teach it, and how to build deep, lasting understanding.

Created by Vikki Longthorn — an experienced numeracy coach and curriculum leader — these guides are grounded in classroom practice and years of work helping teachers unpack the curriculum and improve student outcomes.

Whether you teach under the Australian Curriculum v9, a state syllabus, or an international framework, these guides show how to sequence and connect maths concepts clearly and confidently. Maths ideas don’t change — the curriculum just organises them differently.

What Are the A+ Teacher Club Guides to Teaching?

These guides are professional teacher resources that unpack the maths curriculum into clear, teachable steps.
Each one helps you move from curriculum intent to classroom practice by showing exactly how mathematical ideas develop across the years.

Each guide includes:

• A plain-English explanation of the concept.
• Step-by-step learning progressions that work with any curriculum.
• Learning intentions and success criteria for teachers and students.
• Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) examples to build understanding.
• Effective teaching strategies, differentiation tips, and assessment tools.

Why Teachers Need Concept-Based Teaching Guides

Maths learning builds over time — each idea connects to the next.
The Guides to Teaching help teachers:

• Understand the learning intent behind each curriculum outcome.
• Follow a teaching pathway that builds mastery step by step.
• Use mathematical language and reasoning to make thinking visible.

This approach ensures you’re not just teaching activities, but developing conceptual understanding that transfers across topics and year levels.

How the Guides Align with the Maths Curriculum

Mathematics is organised into six interrelated strands — Number, Algebra, Measurement, Space, Statistics, and Probability.
Each strand represents a different way of thinking mathematically, and together they form the foundation of numeracy.

The A+ Teacher Club Guides to Teaching follow this same strand-based structure.
Every guide:

• Aligns directly to the Australian Curriculum v9 (and adapts easily to state or international frameworks).
• Shows how the concept fits within the progression of learning from Foundation to Year 6.
• Includes the success criteria, misconceptions, and teaching strategies specific to that strand.

This makes it simple to find, plan, and teach each concept in order — ensuring clarity, consistency, and complete curriculum coverage.

The Six Mathematics Strands Explained

Number – Building Foundations for Fluency

Develops number sense — understanding quantity, order, and relationships.
Teaching focus: Build fluency through models, manipulatives, and real-world links.
Explore: Number Guides

Algebra – Recognising and Representing Relationships

Uses patterns, symbols, and generalisations to describe relationships.
Teaching focus: Explore patterns and equivalence through visual models.
Explore: Algebra Guides

Measurement – Quantifying the World Around Us

Measures and compares attributes like length, mass, capacity, and time.
Teaching focus: Connect measurement to real contexts and fair comparisons.
Explore: Measurement Guides

Space – Seeing, Representing, and Reasoning Visually

Explores shape, position, direction, and transformation.
Teaching focus: Use hands-on materials and maps to build spatial reasoning.
Explore: Space Guides

Statistics – Making Sense of Data

Collects, represents, and interprets data to answer real-world questions.
Teaching focus: Sort, classify, and display information using objects and digital tools.
Explore: Statistics Guides

Probability – Understanding Chance and Uncertainty

Describes and reasons about likelihood and fairness.
Teaching focus: Explore chance and prediction through simple experiments.
Explore: Probability Guides

What’s Inside Each Guide

Every guide provides everything teachers need to teach maths concepts with confidence:

• Purpose & Importance – why it matters and how it connects to future learning.
• Learning Intentions & Success Criteria – teacher and student versions.
• Conceptual Development (CPA) – from concrete to abstract.
• Teaching Progression Table – step-by-step sequence and prompts.
• Common Misconceptions & Responses – how to address tricky points.
• Effective Strategies & Differentiation Tips.
• Assessment Tools – checklists, observation prompts, student work samples.
• Recommended Picture Books & References.

Teaching maths in primary classrooms becomes simpler, clearer, and more meaningful when teachers understand the why behind the curriculum.
The A+ Teacher Club Guides to Teaching take the complexity out of planning by unpacking each maths concept into practical, step-by-step learning sequences that build confidence for both teachers and students.

Grounded in the Australian Curriculum v9 and adaptable to any framework, these professional teaching guides show you exactly how to teach maths — from hands-on exploration to deep conceptual understanding.
Whether you’re starting your teaching journey or leading curriculum planning at your school, you’ll find everything you need to teach maths with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Click the Strands below to explore the full range of “How To Teach” Guides and transform the way you plan and teach mathematics today!