Zero is not a number : Teachable moments and their role in effective teaching of numeracy

This paper reports on the use of “teachable moments” and the role they play in effective teaching of numeracy. Transcripts from three case study teachers’ numeracy lessons were examined to identify teachable moments; qualitative descriptions illustrate the nature of these teachable moments and their potential to enhance students’ understanding. It was found that teachers “missed” teachable moments, incorporated them into the discourse or actively ignored them. The findings indicate that teachers need to identify when to act upon teachable moments to avoid the likelihood of students forming misconceptions about important mathematical concepts.