(Also referred to as Dot Images, Quick Image Dot Arrangments, and Dot Card Flash)

In my last post, I suggested that Quick Images and Dot Talks are a great math routine to start with if you and your students are new to them. In this post, I’ll explain the procedure for Dot Talks, why you should consider using them, and share some tools to get you started.

What are Dot Talks?

Dot Talks are a particular type of Quick Image math routine that involves briefly looking at an arrangement of dots to spark mathematical thinking. Here’s the procedure:

1. The teacher shows an arrangement of dots.
   • The teacher might show the image for a few moments (3-5 seconds).
   • The image is flashed, taken away, then brought back as a reference during discussion.
   • The teacher may decide to not flash the image. This is done especially when first introducing Dot Talks to students. It is also beneficial for students who may be math averse. The goal would be to eventually flash the image as they become more comfortable with the routine.
2. Students put a thumb up to their chest to indicate that they are ready to share how many dots they saw.
   • The teacher waits until most students have an answer to share.
3. The teacher gathers all the answers from students willing to share. You might ask, “How many dots did you see?”
   • Right or wrong, all answers are accepted without judgment.
   • The teacher may decide to record the answers for all students to see.
4. The teacher asks students to defend one of the answers and explain how they saw the dots arranged. You might ask, “How did you see the dots?” I suggest recording student explanations in second grade and up, and also in lower grades if appropriate.

Why Dot Talks for All?

Some people think of math as only the symbols that we use to communicate mathematical ideas (0123456789 = + – x π /≈) and so on. Those symbols might trigger adverse reactions that block the brain’s ability to think mathematically. This may be especially true for underserved students. Dot Talks remove the symbols so that people can think more clearly about mathematics without the adverse reactions. Dot Talks provide a more positive mathematical experience. Students learn to trust their own logical reasoning. They creatively make use of patterns and a variety of problem-solving approaches. Best of all, students engage in conversations about their thinking, showing that math is more than computation and memorization. Learning is a social activity. Let them talk and the learning solidifies.

Dot Talks are popular in pre-K – 2 classrooms but can be used with every grade level. They promote counting, subitizing (the ability to see a small quantity without counting), basic fact fluency, and the meaningful use of mathematical symbols and operations.

If your students struggle with basic math facts, the order of operations, or communicating mathematical ideas, Dot Talks can help.

What does a Dot Talk Look Like In Action?

Here are some videos that will give you an idea. As you will see, Dot Talks are easily adaptable for any grade level and for any teaching style.

• Kindergarten (5:50)
• Fourth Grade (20:48)
  • a brief introduction before it gets to the activity, but well worth the time
• 7th Grade (5:57)
  • Led by Dr. Jo Boaler, the same video from my last post

The resource books I shared in my last post more deeply explain the mathematical content and practices developed through Quick Images and Dot Talks. Be sure to take the time to establish an equitable mathematics learning community. There are resources also in my last post to help.

Planning a Dot Talk

1. Choose a dot arrangement and decide how it will be displayed. This depends on what your students need.
2. Will you record student solutions? If so, how? (on a whiteboard, chart paper, etc.)
3. What are some possible solutions and how you will represent them? For example, will you be writing expressions to represent the quantity of dots (see the Fourth Grade video)? Or will you draw a diagram to illustrate student thinking (see Dr. Boaler’s video)?
4. What possible misconceptions or mistakes might occur? How will you address them to be used as a point of learning?
5. How will students be seated so that they can engage in the activity? Will they come to the carpet or stay at their desks?

Dot Talk Tools

• Dot Plates or Dot Cards are easy to make and economical. You can use paper plates or big index cards, and dot stickers or bingo daubers to create reusable dot talk images. You can also make ten-frames dot images. The key is making several arrangements for each number, and don’t forget 0! Leave a plate, card and ten-frame blank to represent this important quantity.
• I created some images on Google Slides. Feel free to download them, adjust, and add them as you see fit.
• See the resources listed in my last post. Most of them have dot images, however, the most comprehensive resource I’ve seen for Dot Talks is the Number Talks Whole Number Computation by Sherry Parrish. It includes nicely organized dot images and ten frames for grades K and 1. They are designed for specific strategy use, such as “counting on”.

I hope you try Dot Talks. Let me know how it goes!