Introduction
This Child Study Assessment will focus on the concept of place value and the base ten number system, principally focusing on the pedagogy of these concepts. It will also discuss diagnostic assessment and the misunderstandings a student acquires, which require pedagogies to alleviate and develop conceptual understanding.

Part A - Diagnostic Assessment
Diagnostic assessment is essential for gaining an initial understanding of what students know about a concept or topic. An effective diagnostic assessment is a one on one interview, as these predominately uncover information not obtained by written assessments and are a necessary tool which helps to direct a student’s learning (Burns, 2007). These interviews allow for an understanding …show more content…
This sense is gained by understanding the four mathematical properties; additive property, positional property, base-ten property and multiplicative property (Ross, 2002). These make up an efficient system which aids the development of number sense (Reys et al., 2012). To develop number sense is ongoing, however, the early years of schooling develops the process in stages (Reys et al., 2012). These stages include “prenumber and informal number, which includes classification and patterning. Early number development and number development, which include conservation, comparisons and one-to-one correspondence and counting, which includes connecting groups, group recognition, counting forward and backward, skip counting, establishing benchmarks and place value” (Reys et al., 2012, p. 141). Place value development begins with prenumber and informal number stage with classifying what needs to be counted and building their knowledge of things around them to allow for flexible thinking (Reys et al., 2012). An affective resource for classifying properties is using tiles or blocks that have different variables. It may be broken into shapes, colours or size and questions can be asked to group them in certain ways and even with multiple attributes. Pattern tasks allow students to perform through physical activities which provokes cognitive contributions (Reys et al., 2012). An example would be using a finished shape product as a visual example and having students use individual shapes to build the same product. Patterns allow us to remember whole numbers in their order and why they are in a particular order which is built upon in place value (Department of Education, 2004). These build the foundation that ultimately progresses to further development culminating in counting, including skip counting and the knowledge of