TALK FOR MATHS: Douai Abbey 4 February 2013 Lucy Sayce-Browne lucy.sayce-browne@reading.gov.uk

Programme 09.30 – Introduction 09.45 – Outcomes and impact 10.00 – What do we know 11.00 – Coffee 11.15 – What does the research say? 12.15 – Some maths 1.00– Lunch 2.00 – Planning and next steps 3.00 – Plenary 3.30 - Close

AIMS OF THE PROJECT To develop confidence in teaching maths that is exciting and engaging. To be comfortable to take risks with teaching maths. To be able to make maths more accessible for all. To explore ways to deepen understanding of maths To challenge the idea that it is socially unacceptable to fail at maths.

IMPACT STATEMENTS Pupils engage in high quality conversations about mathematics where they explain their thinking. Pupils identify maths in everyday situations. Pupils are confident learners in maths. Pupils are able to break problems down into smaller steps. Learning is led by problems where pupils experience age appropriate real life examples of maths. Pupils value the process. Learning is pupil led where pupils try out their own ideas. Pupils enjoy maths. Pupils perception of a good mathematician is based on ability to reason and take time on a problem.

WHAT DO WE KNOW? Start with a number sentence Talk partners Actions for maths concepts Video – ‘Audience and purpose’ in Talk for Maths Hugging the text: use of dictaphones to replay Magpie books for maths methods? Modelling maths problems, pupils identify mistakes, teacher verbalises thinking Washing lines to keep ideas up for longer One answer?

WHAT DO WE KNOW contd? Use of pictures (like story maps) to draw a maths problem Acting out a problem Magpieing maths problem Move slowly Boxing up Talk time: talk it, solve it. Lessons where nothing is written down. Use of videos for evidence? Preparing pupils for their future rather than our past – Lane Clark

MAGPIEING IDEAS Boxing up Consistency across the school Different pens for different stages Book talk – structured questions Pupils teaching pupils Ordering processes from working wall Sequence for writing/maths Immersion in a story/problem: imitate, innovate, invent ‘The more you can explain the process you more you understand it and the more you understand it the more you will retain it.’ Using books/newspapers as source of real life contexts

MAGPIEING IDEAS contd Children write their own problems/explanations – inventing Maths story sack Bank of newspaper articles so pupils can ask their own questions. Use what’s around you i.e. number plates, song titles with a number Box of words/what’s the maths in that? Mr Copycat – repeat the number sentence but change one part Never dodge a good word – dot the dilemma; dotting good answers/good processes Sentence doctor – spot the professor’s mistake Use examples of misconceptions and mistakes

SOME MATHS Bus routes – one off lesson? Good for talking about process. Frustrating if you ‘can’t do it’. (Although motivating for some.) So need problems that you can partially succeed on. Working together is good. Guinea pig problem lends itself to lots of preliminary work. Some problems have more scope for development. Some problems good for ascertaining prior knowledge. Owl – write a division, rewrite as ‘Show me how…in any way you can’ elicits many more possibilities. Same answer but different methods and exploring the differecnes.

SOME MATHS If we’ve solved this one, which others can we now do. Mysteries – use TalkMaths check list (University of Cambridge), e.g. who changed their mind, did you all agree etc. Running record or what has been said. TalkMaths rules, taking turns etc. Fractions in a Box – scope for variation, e.g. booklet is a rectangle Sketching and drawing really important.

PLANNING Micklands – Child led problem solving. Story sack/newspaper Southcote – explanations with talk partners; drawing/ story mapping or boxing up. Jump starts for numeracy. Emmer Green – jump starts for numeracy; boxing up Redlands – same problem Y5/3, recognising many right answers. How many steps do these trainers take in a day. Whitley Park – Y3 Victorian topic, opening a sweet shop, cross curricular + P4C opportunities; pupil led KWL activities and success criteria. The Hill – Jump start numeracy; topic led/newspaper led problems Caversham – Washing line using TA; start from the problem and teach methods through the problem New Christchurch – Planning a journey Katesgrove – Boxing up; number sentence doctor with teacher in character; share ideas with staff St Martins – using real life example; high level talk; big open question first

NEXT STEPS Who is doing what?

Future plans Next meeting: Before then, you will need to: 15 March 2013 9.30 – 3.30, Douai Abbey. Before then, you will need to: Try out ideas Jump start numeracy games Bring newspaper articles. Register on ncetm and then email Lucy your user name at www.ncetm.org.uk