Numeracy Teaching Strategies:

Document 13 shows an extract of a whole-term planner for numeracy, specifically, a 3-lesson

sequence on multiplication. Using the curriculum as a start-point, the sequence was planned
to build the multiplication knowledge of the students throughout the week, with different
focus areas targeted in each session to the whole class. Students were then split into three
groups according to ability and given differentiated tasks to complete within those groups.
This approach is validated by Lowe (2011) who suggests targeted teaching and grouping by
need are the keys to success in a targeted teaching model, ensuring that resources are at
each students level to maximise success.
A focus group, working with the teacher, was incorporated into each lesson. This group
worked on solving multiplication problems, utilising concrete materials to assist their thinking
and problem-solving ability. The benefits of using concrete materials are that they can help
students focus on key mathematical ideas and lessons that incorporate concrete materials
can stimulate childrens higher order thinking (McDonagh, 2016). The idea was to break down
the skill, from a simple repetition of learned answers (as per traditional times table teaching),
into understanding the processes that led to the answer. The activities in this group were
differentiated according to the ability of the students, beginning with simple repeated
addition using blocks in the lower ability group, to representing multiplication problems as
arrays and interpreting word problems in the higher ability group.
One group worked on laptops to complete multiplication practice activities on
studyladder.com. These activities were once again differentiated for ability and targeted at
the skill level of the students in each group. In addition to increasing student engagement
and motivation, Attard and Northcote (2011) suggest that incorporating ICT into mathematics
teaching and learning has immense potential to enhance students experiences with
mathematics.
A third group completed a multiplication dice game, involving rolling dice to create a
multiplication problem, with the student then solving the problem utilising different
strategies taught throughout the week.

References:

Attard, C & Northcote, M. (2011). Teaching with technology. Mathematics on the move:
using mobile technologies to support student learning. Australian Primary
Mathematics Classroom. 16(4), 29-31.

Lowe, I. (2011). Differentiating maths teaching at primary level. Prime Number. 26(1), 3-7.
McDonagh, A. (2016). Good concrete activity is good mental activity. Australian Primary
Mathematics Classroom. 21(1), 3-7.