Junior Certificate School Programme Numeracy Levels at Second Level in Ireland (Setting the context)

Junior Certificate School Programme (1959 Crowther Report)(1959 Crowther Report) 1960s : primary school mathematics1960s : primary school mathematics –3Rs 1990s – to date: TSBL and ATBL1990s – to date: TSBL and ATBL –Maths results + Chief Examiner’s Reports Second International Mathematics Study (SIMS) ( )Second International Mathematics Study (SIMS) ( ) –13 year olds and Final Year students Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)(1995)Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)(1995) –9 and 13 year olds International Adult Literacy Study (IALS)(1995)International Adult Literacy Study (IALS)(1995) –16-64 year olds

Junior Certificate School Programme Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (2000 +)Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (2000 +) –15 year olds “Literacy and Numeracy in Disadvantaged Schools” (LANDs) (2005)“Literacy and Numeracy in Disadvantaged Schools” (LANDs) (2005) –DES Inspectorate National Adult Literacy Association (NALA)(2010)National Adult Literacy Association (NALA)(2010) “Inside Classrooms: (the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in Social Context” (DES Inspectorate / Lyons et al.)(2003)“Inside Classrooms: (the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in Social Context” (DES Inspectorate / Lyons et al.)(2003)

Junior Certificate School Programme Why Numeracy 1? The Impact of Numeracy in Society (Steen 1997)

Junior Certificate School Programme PracticalPractical –has a direct applicability and functionality in the routines of everyday living CivicCivic –facilitates an understanding of public issues ProfessionalProfessional –required for employment RecreationalRecreational –facilitates an appreciation of games, sports and lotteries etc. CulturalCultural –A core component of the tapestry of civilisation

Junior Certificate School Programme Planning a School Wide Approach to Numeracy Development at Second Level Where to begin?

Junior Certificate School Programme “The only policy worth having is one which is written after a period of consultation and negotiation” Tanner, Jones and Davies 2002

Junior Certificate School Programme Some Components of a Coordinated School Wide Approach 1 Building capacity in the staff / developing shared understandings about numeracy Introductory CPD provision for entire staff Assessing, auditing and analysing current numeracy attainment + standards + current numeracy provision and supports + current best practice Arriving at a working definition of numeracy / identifying numeracy indicators Raising staff awareness of the impact of numeracy skills on learning across the curriculum Raising staff awareness of the opportunities and activities that exist for numeracy development in each subject area across the curriculum Establishing a rationale for planned and coordinated school wide numeracy development Identifying critical needs and success criteria

Junior Certificate School Programme Some Components of a Coordinated School Wide Approach 2 Subject departments identify the impact of numeracy in specific topics / tasks / activities Making numeracy development an integral part of each subject department’s developmental plan Identifying what numeracy strategies are working well in the teaching of these specific topics / tasks / activities Identifying and documenting common numerical errors and misconceptions made by students in specific topics / tasks / activities Identifying and sharing a range of effective strategies and pedagogies to remediate these problem areas Key subject departments Other subject departments Patience

Junior Certificate School Programme Some Components of a School Wide Approach 3 Develop a school numeracy policy + action plan: Numeracy rich environment Cross curricular thematic projects + display of project data Numeracy day Consistent usage of numerical language Developmental time line Use of calculators / mental arithmetic / jottings / written work / estimation / ICT Numeracy homework + marking policy Enhancement of computational fluency Numeracy revision Numeracy assessment Formative feedback Numeracy resources Opportunities for cooperative learning Use of “numeracy moments” Additional numeracy lessons / supports..... Macro + micro

Junior Certificate School Programme Some Components of a School Wide Approach 4 Availing of current on-site expertise: Identifying, documenting and modelling a range of consistent, additional or alternative strategies and approaches to support numeracy development Booklet of numeracy teaching tips / guides Providing support and coordination: Principal Curriculum Leader / Numeracy Coordinator Numeracy Link Person (for each department) Numeracy Development Group Maths Department Learning support Department JCSP Coordinator SCP Coordinator SDP Coordinator Meeting time Strategic usage of JCSP statements + resources + initiatives Implementation of the school + departmental numeracy developmental plan/s Monitoring, feedback and review+