1. Aby Kench Maths Teacher
Entry Level Support ‘Supporting’ our lower ability students to enjoy maths and become more successful mathematicians
Aby Kench
Maths Teacher

2. What gives maths such a bad name?
As part of my teaching degree, I carried out a study to investigate whether family attitudes towards Maths had an impact on student success and in the 200 student survey there was a correlation between negative attitudes and student’s mathematical attainment.

3. So, is this really relevant today in our classrooms?

4. The following extract from the National Numeracy report shows
this is still an area of concern…

5. GROWTH MINDSET
Students arrive at my door with a whole host of negative feelings and self doubt.

6. …yet!

7. Creating a ‘safe’ classroom culture, where mistakes are valued steps to deeper understanding
Including regular discussions around common mistakes and misconceptions

11. Low floor, high ceiling tasks
My class favourites…
Compare and contrast
Always, sometimes, never
Odd one out
Talking tennis – bit like mallets mallet 
Mathematics Taboo
True or False
Find the fibs
Ordering and sequencing …number and time lines
Goal free activities
Accessible for all students
Student accountability; links to collaborative learning ethos
Low floor, high ceiling tasks
Allows discussion, reasoning skills, mathematical debate
Students engaged with activities; real life problems
Aim - Focus on low threshold, high challenge starters and activities to promote deeper meaningful thinking and discussion around maths concepts and particularly mathematical misconceptions.

12. ‘Entry Level Support’ Scheme of Work
Links directly to the AQA 9-1 syllabus
Using ‘concrete’ resources (3d shapes, blocks, plasticene, numicon etc) to support meaningful connections between pictorial and abstract maths
Instil a collaborative, co-operative learning environment
Aimed at students working from Entry Level up to Level 3 (9-1)
Revisiting key topics of Number, Space, Shape and Measure and Proportion
‘Entry Level Support’ Scheme of Work
Greater enjoyment ensures greater participation and desire to improve
Regular assessment, self, peer and teacher reviews
High expectations of every student
‘Low floor high ceiling’ tasks to support an engaging curriculum for all abilities
Consistent modelling of expectations and language…spelling key terms correctly, building key vocabulary into class books, clear definitions and highlighted, exploring root words, such as quadrilateral; quad = 4
Builds confidence through success