mathsCORNER


Mastery approach to maths has many plus points, ETF trial finds


By a staff reporter


A mastery approach to teaching maths may have significant benefits for adult learners, an Education and Training Foundation (ETF) trial has found. The Teaching for Mastery


Project involved tutors and learners from four partner organisations in general further education and offender learning. Participants produced blogs and videos on their experiences (see links right). Benefits to learners included:


• high levels of engagement and increased motivation;


• a sense that learning had occurred both formally and informally;


• students learning from one another as they engaged in different activities;


• a tendency for lessons to be more creative. Teachers reported an increased understanding of mastery approaches and confidence in using them, and felt reinvigorated by their successes. Imke Djouadj, the ETF’s head of programmes for


maths and English, said: “The use of mastery approaches in teaching has the potential to re-engage learners with maths, offering a different experience and helping to address possible misconceptions they might hold about the subject. “It is vital that teachers have the


opportunity to engage with mastery approaches and how to apply them in their settings.” The partner organisations were: Sheffield Hallam University (working with Chesterfield College, The Sheffield College, HMP Wetherby and HMP New Hall); Grimsby Institute of Higher and Further Education; New City College and the Leeds project consortium (St Mary’s Menston), where it is continuing. The mastery model rejects the idea that some people can’t do maths, encouraging learners’ belief in success. Teaching focuses on all learners working together on the same lesson content at the same time. Every student must master each concept before moving on.


You can read the pro- ject blogs and watch the videos at: bit.ly/SarahBoodt bit.ly/EmmaBell- blog bit.ly/Emma- Bellvideo bit.ly/RachelM- cLeod bit.ly/SarahDrury


For more information on maths mastery visit the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics at bit.ly/ NCETMMastery


FINITE IDEAS It’s important to develop confidence in maths, especially for post-16 students who have not previously had great success in formal exams. An easy starter for these students is to give them a topic (for example,


percentages) and ask them to work in pairs or small groups. Give each group a piece of flip-chart paper and pens, and ask them to draw a circle with the topic name in the centre. Then ask them to write down everything they can about that topic.


Every learner should be encouraged to contribute to, and build up, a ‘mind map’ or spider diagram around the topic. The papers can be shared or each group/pair can move around, adding


to each poster. You can then discuss the results as a class, enabling you to get a better picture of where your students are in their understanding. This is important in informing your next steps in meeting the students’ needs. It is a good example of assessment for learning. It shows students that they do know some maths, possibly more than they thought, and it also encourages discussion and identifies misconceptions.


Norma Honey is a freelance maths consultant who is passionate about supporting teachers and learners.


MATHS ESSENTIALS


THE 3C APPROACH By Louise Ford


Have you ever struggled to get a learner to engage within a lesson or even struggled to maintain this engagement? If you are teaching within a


vocational environment, this can become a daily challenge. A learner’s concentration is crucial to their learning. There are simple and effective activities we can implement in our lessons to help maintain a student’s concentration and engagement. I developed the 3C Approach


as part of my Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) programme. It enables us to use Context to Convey Concept, which is vital when creating engaging learning activities, especially for practical learners in a vocational environment. There are three main stages


to the 3C Approach, but these could be adjusted to better suit your learner. 1. Have a discussion with your student. Ask them where they would encounter or use a particular topic in real life, such as calculating the area of a room or the ratio of hair dyes in a salon. Here we are giving the problem a Context. 2. Introduce the methodology


to the learner in a step-by-step manner using a relatable scenario; for instance, if you have a painting and decorating apprentice they may be calculating the area of a wall, before knowing how much paint to buy. Here we are Conveying the Concept of the mathematical methodology. 3. Issue your student with another problem to complete independently – this will determine understanding. This 3C Approach teaching model is designed with vocational learners in mind, helping to raise their confidence and motivation.


Louise Ford


is an education and skills tutor at PM Training. She is a Fellow of SET and recently gained Advanced Teacher Status (ATS).


inTUITION ISSUE 36 • SUMMER 2019 23


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