Shop

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Pre-Sales & Setup

We suggest that you introduce the change gradually, one year at a time.

One approach is to start with the Addition & Subtraction Kit first. This spreads the cost and implementation over four years.

  • In the first year purchase the “Addition & Subtraction Kit”. Get used to the system starting with Maths Intervention working with groups of 4 students at a time.
  • In the second year purchase materials for whole class tier one teaching in Year 1.
  • In the third year purchase materials for whole class tier one teaching in Year 2.
  • In the fourth year purchase the “Counting to 10 & 29 Kit” for whole class tier one teaching in Foundation.

Another approach is to start at the beginning with each kit. This is costs more but is quicker way to get a whole school approach up and running in three years.

  • In the first year purchase the “Addition & Subtraction Kit”. Get used to the system starting with Maths Intervention working with groups of 4 students at a time.
  • In the second year purchase the “Counting to 10 and 20 Kit” materials for whole class tier one teaching in Foundation. Also  purchase Addition and Subtraction Kit materials for whole class tier one teaching in Year 1.
  • In the third year purchase materials for whole class tier one teaching in Year 2.

Chose the Addition & Subtraction Kit. Reasons:

  • Covers more years of curriculum (essential Year 1 and 2 content in addition and subtraction)
  • Relevant for Tier 2 intervention (with small groups) in Years 1 to 4
  • Relevant for Tier 3 intervention (with individual students) Years 1 to 6
  • Has one chapter of counting intervention included.
Maths and General Implementation

The Bond Block kits do not cover the whole maths curriculum. They are specific and target the skills predictive of difficulty at different stages of development. Refer to the Curriculum Links page under the menu page of each kit to see exactly what is and isn’t covered. 

Bond Blocks was written for Maths Intervention with students who have learning difficulties in mind. There are three Teacher Notes documents written outlining how Bond Blocks supports students with:

(i) Specific Learning Difficulties in Mathematics (Dyscalculia). See “Developing Calculation, Not Counting.”

(ii) Working Memory Difficulties. See “Using Part-Part-Whole Desk Visuals”.

(iii) Learning Difficulties. See “Supporting Students with Learning Difficulties”.

Yes, but adjustments will need to be made.

One strength of Bond Blocks for special education is that each activity is modelled in a video with explicit teaching, specified mathematical language and consistent teaching methods. Students receive consistent teaching from both the teacher and education assistants, as well as from year to year.

As with all interventions fidelity is the key to success. However, this does not mean adjustments should not be made. The teacher will choose activities and modify them based on the profile of the individual student.

Every activity has differentiation suggestions. Read the “a little easier” section of each activity’s webpage.

One major adjustment to be made is time:

  • Tier 3 students need to do Bond Blocks at least 4 times a week, 5 is better. This allows for 4 days of repeating the target activity and 1 day to review a prior activity to maintain fluency.
  • Instead of one activity being repeated over one week the activity would be broken into smaller skills, typically two or three. For example, receptive and then expressive skills. Each skill would be repeated for one week. Therefore, each activity board would take approximately 3 weeks not one.

Great question. Click to open link in a new tab and read the pdf “Is the Bond Blocks System Evidence Based?”

By taking time to develop an efficient whole class routine, the Teacher Led Bond Blocks Activity sessions can go from initially taking 30 minutes, down to 15 minutes. Within the 15 minutes students engage in the specific Bond Blocks activity for 8 minutes. It takes a lot of Term One to develop this routine. This is time well spent. Through this routine young students can be taught and learn how to:

  • follow instructions.
  • respect materials through packing away and using them appropriately.
  • listen attentively to explicit teaching.
  • take turns.

These are essential skills required for effective learning in a whole class setting

For tips to help make implementation with the Addition and Subtraction Core Kit more efficient watch this video: Bond Blocks General Implementation Tips.

About the Blocks

Download this book “Bond Blocks Out of the Box” for 24 pages of free ideas. 

Boxes with a grey handle are the original run. They contain the ten-frame and blank-five blocks. Boxes with a blue handle are the newer run. We replaced the ten-frame and blank-five blocks with extra 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 blocks. This helps if a 1 Block goes ‘missing’. It also means you can make every combination needed when bridging to twenty. The concept of the ten-frame block hasn’t been lost. It is designed into the Addition and Subtraction Core Kit activity boards.

Both Bond Blocks and Cuisenaire Rods are representational manipulatives. Therefore, neither of them are scored with individual unit lines. Bond Blocks match 2cm cubes whereas Cuisenaire Rods match 1cm cubes. They are both length-based but Bond Blocks are all one colour and have the numeral written on, whereas Cuisenaire Rods are colour-based.

Counting to 10 & 20 Kit

Pre-Sales Questions

The standard Counting to 10 & 20 Kit is set up for 24 student whole-class teaching, the most popular configuration.

This is also suitable for Intervention, but may be more resourcing than you need. If money is tight, it is best to use the Build-Your-Own Bundle form.

  • You will need to know the number of educators that need their own set of materials.
  • All other fields can be 0.

This is our most popular setup. The standard Counting to 10 & 20 Kit is set up for 24 student whole-class teaching.

For variations (e.g. more students or more classes), it is best to use the Build-Your-Own Bundle form.

You may need further information, such as:

  • Number of Pre-Foundation rooms
  • Number of Foundation Students
  • Number of Foundation Rooms
  • Overall Number of Educators that want magnetic blocks

The standard Counting to 10 & 20 Kit is only set up for one 24 student room.

For a multi-room setup, it is best to use the Build-Your-Own Bundle form to order exactly what you want.

You may need further information, such as:

  • Number of Pre-Foundation rooms
  • Number of Foundation Students
  • Number of Foundation Rooms
  • Overall Number of Educators that want magnetic blocks

We offer a discount for small schools. You can select your size in the Build-Your-Own Bundle form.

Photocopies of the activity boards can also be sent home. Parents can access the instructional videos through the website – no logon needed. Perfect for remote learning.

Please see take a look at About The Counting to 10 & 20 Kit

Intervention-Only Questions

Maths Intervention requires one set of blocks per student. Each group of 4 students needs four sets of blocks. Sharing not appropriate in this setting.

Intervention requires 10 minutes, four times a week. 

  • Session 1: “I do” focus. Introduce the activity using the video for explicit teaching. 
  • Session 2: “We do” focus. Repeat the activity to develop fluency. 
  • Session 3: “You do” focus. Repeat the activity to develop fluency. 
  • Session 4: Review focus. Repeat an activity from an earlier part of the program to monitor retention and maintain fluency. 

Foundation whole class teaching  requires approximately 20 minutes, three times a week.

Pre-Foundation uses Bond Blocks in small groups for one maths activity each day.

For more information and lesson-by-lesson planners see the relevant kit menu at the top of the page. Click on the grey Implementation menu button.

Intervention requires 10-minutes, four times a week.  Intervention is run in groups of up to four students.

One Education Assistant can run a group every 15 minutes. This is four groups an hour, which is 20 groups  (80 students) in one day. Each student requires intervention for four days per week. One Education Assistant at 0.8 loading can run intervention for 80 students. 

Whole Class Questions

In Pre-Foundation blocks can be shared 1 between 4 students.

a room of 24 needs 6 sets of blocks. 

Assessment

The Assessment Page contains the test, instruction support book, Excel sheets and PowerPoints.

Management

Please fill out the USB Recovery Form appropriate to your kit and choose physical replacement or email link.

Addition & Subtraction Kit

Pre-Sales Questions

This is our most popular setup for Addition & Subtraction. The standard Addition & Subtraction Kit is set up with everything required for 4 student intervention.

For variations (e.g. more students groups simultaneously or whole-class teaching rooms), it is best to use the Build-Your-Own Bundle form.

The standard Addition & Subtraction Kit is only resourced for 4 student intervention.

To extend to one class, add 1x Addition & Subtraction Classroom Add-on to your order.

—

Alternatively, you can use the the Build-Your-Own Bundle form to order exactly what you want.

You will need to know:

  • Number of Intervention Educators that need their own set of materials
  • Number of Year 1 Students
  • Number of Year 2 Students
  • (only for WA) Number of Year 3 Students
  • Overall Number of Educators that want magnetic blocks 

You should use the Build-Your-Own Bundle form to order exactly what you want.

You will need to know:

  • Number of Intervention Educators that need their own set of materials
  • Number of Year 1 Students
  • Number of Year 2 Students
  • (only for WA) Number of Year 3 Students
  • Overall Number of Educators that want magnetic blocks 

Please see take a look at About The Addition & Subtraction Kit 

No.

Purchase one, “Addition & Subtraction Kit”. This caters for 4 students for Intervention.

Then add-on four more sets of blocks and materials for each additional group of 4 students. 

Alternatively you can use the Build-Your-Own Bundle form.

Yes, see it in action here.

Yes, see it in action here.

Yes, see it in action here.

See the composite class planning guide here.

We offer a discount for small schools. You can select your size in the Build-Your-Own Bundle form.

Photocopies of the activity boards can also be sent home. Parents can access the instructional videos through the website – no logon needed. Perfect for remote learning.

Intervention-Only Questions

Maths Intervention requires one set of blocks per student. Each group of 4 students needs four sets of blocks (i.e., one each). Sharing not appropriate in this setting.

Intervention requires 10 minutes, four times a week. 

  • Session 1: “I do” focus. Introduce the activity using the video for explicit teaching. 
  • Session 2: “We do” focus. Repeat the activity to develop fluency. 
  • Session 3: “You do” focus. Repeat the activity to develop fluency. 
  • Session 4: Review focus. Repeat an activity from an earlier part of the program to monitor retention and maintain fluency. 

Intervention requires 10-minutes, four times a week.  Intervention is run in groups of up to four students.

One Education Assistant can run a group every 15 minutes. This is four groups an hour, which is 20 groups  (80 students) in one day. Each student requires intervention for four days per week. One Education Assistant at 0.8 loading can run intervention for 80 students. 

Yes. There are many students from Year 5 through to secondary school who still count to add and subtract. These students have missed building a robust understanding of the addition and subtraction curriculum from Years 1 to 2 covered by the Addition & Subtraction Kit.

We designed the kit with these students in mind. Very few of the boards contain artistic images. We made sure that images that were included not childish.

The placement test means that older student can identify specifically what maths they have missed out on developing, can set goals and target that.

Whole Class Questions

Year 1 and 2 whole class tier one teaching in requires one set of blocks per pair. Sharing is appropriate in this setting.

  • Most of the activities are designed as two-player activities.
  • Students take turns for one-player activities.

Year 1 to 2 whole class teaching  requires approximately 20 minutes, three times a week.

Assessment

The Assessment Page contains the test, instruction support book, Excel sheets and PowerPoints.

There are four videos on this page that answer common questions about:

  • how to administer the test
  • how to identify the teaching focus
  • how analyse the results
  • when to retest and how to monitoring.

This is answered in the first video “Administering the Test”
on the Assessment Page.

This is answered in the video “Retesting and Monitoring” on the Assessment Page.

Management

Please fill out the USB Recovery Form appropriate to your kit and choose physical replacement or email link.

FAQ: Purchasing

Please see take a look at About The Addition & Subtraction Kit and About The Counting to 10 & 20 Kit

We suggest that you introduce the change gradually, one year at a time.

One approach is to start with the Addition & Subtraction Kit first. This spreads the cost and implementation over four years.

  • In the first year purchase the “Addition & Subtraction Kit”. Get used to the system starting with Maths Intervention working with groups of 4 students at a time.
  • In the second year purchase materials for whole class tier one teaching in Year 1.
  • In the third year purchase materials for whole class tier one teaching in Year 2.
  • In the fourth year purchase the “Counting to 10 & 29 Kit” for whole class tier one teaching in Foundation.

Another approach is to start at the beginning with each kit. This is costs more but is quicker way to get a whole school approach up and running in three years.

  • In the first year purchase the “Addition & Subtraction Kit”. Get used to the system starting with Maths Intervention working with groups of 4 students at a time.
  • In the second year purchase the “Counting to 10 and 20 Kit” materials for whole class tier one teaching in Foundation. Also  purchase Addition and Subtraction Kit materials for whole class tier one teaching in Year 1.
  • In the third year purchase materials for whole class tier one teaching in Year 2.

Maths Intervention requires one set of blocks per student. Each group of 4 students needs four sets of blocks. Sharing not appropriate in this setting.

Year 1 and 2 whole class tier one teaching in requires one set of blocks per pair. Sharing is appropriate in this setting.

  • Most of the activities are designed as two-player activities.
  • Students take turns for one-player activities.

 

Maths Intervention requires one set of blocks per student. Each group of 4 students needs four sets of blocks. Sharing not appropriate in this setting.

In Foundation whole class tier one teaching requires one set of blocks per four students. Each pair uses one-half of a set of blocks. A class of 24 students requires 6 sets of blocks.

In Pre-Foundation a room needs 4 sets of blocks. 

Best kit for intervention definitely the Addition & Subtraction Kit. Reasons:

  • Covers more years of curriculum (essential Year 1 and 2 content in addition and subtraction)
  • Relevant for Tier 2 intervention (with small groups) in Years 1 to 4
  • Relevant for Tier 3 intervention (with individual students) Years 1 to 6
  • Has one chapter of counting intervention included.

No.

Purchase one, “Addition & Subtraction Kit”. This caters for 4 students for Intervention.

Then add-on four more sets of blocks and materials for each additional group of 4 students. 

Purchase:

One “Counting to 10 & 20 Kit”.

Add-on more sets of blocks and materials for for each additional class. Enter the number of students. We send you one set of blocks and materials per four students. 

Purchase:

One “Addition & Subtraction Kit”.

Add-on more sets of blocks and materials for for each additional class. Enter the number of students. We send you one set of blocks and materials per pair of students. 

Get in contact with us. We offer a discount for small schools.

Photocopies of the activity boards can also be sent home. Parents can access the instructional videos through the website – no logon needed. Perfect for remote learning.

Yes. Narelle wanted to help fellow homeschoolers so we made “Bond Blocks at Home”.

  • The activity boards are the same as Addtion & Subtraction Kit that schools use but have a limited licence (these boards cannot be used by schools).
  • “Bond Blocks at Home” also only comes with one set of blocks, not four. 

Yes.

See the Counting to 10 & 20 with Bond Blocks Kit

FAQ: Using Bond Blocks

Please don’t hesitate to get in contact if you still have questions. 

Intervention requires 10 minutes, four times a week. 

  • Session 1: “I do” focus. Introduce the activity using the video for explicit teaching. 
  • Session 2: “We do” focus. Repeat the activity to develop fluency. 
  • Session 3: “You do” focus. Repeat the activity to develop fluency. 
  • Session 4: Review focus. Repeat an activity from an earlier part of the program to monitor retention and maintain fluency. 

Year 1 to 2 whole class teaching  requires approximately 20 minutes, three times a week.

Foundation whole class teaching  requires approximately 20 minutes, three times a week.

Pre-Foundation uses Bond Blocks in small groups for one maths activity each day.

For more information and lesson-by-lesson planners see the relevelant kit menu at the top of the page. Click on the grey Implementation menu button.

The Bond Block kits do not cover the whole maths curriculum. They are specific and target the skills predictive of difficulty at different stages of development. Refer to the Curriculum Links page under the menu page of each kit to see exactly what is and isn’t covered. 

The Assessment Page contains the test, instruction support book, Excel sheets and PowerPoints.

There are four videos on this page that answer common questions about:

  • how to administer the test
  • how to identify the teaching focus
  • how analyse the results
  • when to retest and how to monitoring.

Bond Blocks was written for Maths Intervention with students who have learning difficulties in mind. There are three Teacher Notes documents written outlining how Bond Blocks supports students with:

(i) Specific Learning Difficulties in Mathematics (Dyscalculia). See “Developing Calculation, Not Counting.”

(ii) Working Memory Difficulties. See “Using Part-Part-Whole Desk Visuals”.

(iii) Learning Difficulties. See “Supporting Students with Learning Difficulties”.

By taking time to develop an efficient whole class routine, the Teacher Led Bond Blocks Activity sessions can go from initially taking 30 minutes, down to 15 minutes. Within the 15 minutes students engage in the specific Bond Blocks activity for 8 minutes. It takes a lot of Term One to develop this routine. This is time well spent. Through this routine young students can be taught and learn how to:

  • follow instructions.
  • respect materials through packing away and using them appropriately.
  • listen attentively to explicit teaching.
  • take turns.

These are essential skills required for effective learning in a whole class setting

For tips to help make implementation with the Addition and Subtraction Core Kit more efficient watch this video: Bond Blocks General Implementation Tips.

Intervention requires 10-minutes, four times a week.  Intervention is run in groups of four students.

One Education Assistant can run a group every 15 minutes. This is four groups an hour, which is 20 groups  (80 students) in one day. Each student requires intervention for four days per week. One Education Assistant at 0.8 loading can run intervention for 80 students. 

Yes, but adjustments will need to be made.

One strength of Bond Blocks for special education is that each activity is modelled in a video with explicit teaching, specified mathematical language and consistent teaching methods. Students receive consistent teaching from both the teacher and education assistants, as well as from year to year.

As with all interventions fidelity is the key to success. However, this does not mean adjustments should not be made. The teacher will choose activities and modify them based on the profile of the individual student.

Every activity has differentiation suggestions. Read the “a little easier” section of each activity’s webpage.

One major adjustment to be made is time:

  • Tier 3 students need to do Bond Blocks at least 4 times a week, 5 is better. This allows for 4 days of repeating the target activity and 1 day to review a prior activity to maintain fluency.
  • Instead of one activity being repeated over one week the activity would be broken into smaller skills, typically two or three. For example, receptive and then expressive skills. Each skill would be repeated for one week. Therefore, each activity board would take approximately 3 weeks not one.

Yes. There are many students from Year 5 through to secondary school who still count to add and subtract. These students have missed building a robust understanding of the addition and subtraction curriculum from Years 1 to 2 covered by the Addition & Subtraction Kit.

We designed the kit with these students in mind. Very few of the boards contain artistic images. We made sure that images that were included not childish.

The placement test means that older student can identify specifically what maths they have missed out on developing, can set goals and target that.

Download this book “Bond Blocks Out of the Box” for 24 pages of free ideas. 

Great question. Click to open link in a new tab and read the pdf “Is the Bond Blocks System Evidence Based?”

FAQ: About the Blocks

Please don’t hesitate to get in contact if you still have questions. 

Boxes with a grey handle are the original run. They contain the ten-frame and blank-five blocks. Boxes with a blue handle are the newer run. We replaced the ten-frame and blank-five blocks with extra 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 blocks. This helps if a 1 Block goes ‘missing’. It also means you can make every combination needed when bridging to twenty. The concept of the ten-frame block hasn’t been lost. It is designed into the Addition and Subtraction Core Kit activity boards.

Both Bond Blocks and Cuisenaire Rods are representational manipulatives. Therefore, neither of them are scored with individual unit lines. Bond Blocks match 2cm cubes whereas Cuisenaire Rods match 1cm cubes. They are both length-based but Bond Blocks are all one colour and have the numeral written on, whereas Cuisenaire Rods are colour-based.