1. Inspire Maths Text books
Inspiring children to succeed

2. Aim of this presentation:
To introduce the Inspire Maths program for sustained improvement in schools
To provide the background to its development
To familiarise ourselves with the resources and the teaching sequence
To transform the teaching and learning of mathematics for all children in our school, teaching to mastery.

3. The case for reform

4. Although our top performing students perform equally with Singapore students there is a definite skew in the data.
Source PISA 2012 dataset

5. Jerome Bruner. American. 1915 –
Concrete – Pictorial – Abstract.
Jerome Bruner. American –
Variation Theory. Zoltan Dienes. Hungarian. (1916 – 2014)
Conceptual and procedural understanding.
Richard Skemp. British. (1919 – 1995)
Only briefly mention these theories as we will work on each in more depth illustrating with hands on activities.
Growth mind set – ‘I can’t do this yet!’
Carol Dweck. American. (1946)

6. Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract
Concrete – internalised action
Pictorial – iconic with sensory imagery
Abstract – symbolic with symbols e.g. numerals, which bear only an arbitrary relation to what they stand for.

7. Variation Theory
One of the theories underpinning Inspire Maths text books
Two underlying principles:
Perceptual variation – presenting one concept in a variety of contexts (e.g. using a variety of manipulatives and models to represent one addition number sentence)
Systematic variation – mathematical variation which provides a variety of examples of one mathematical concept (e.g. providing a variety of addition number sentences for practice and consolidation )

10. The approach to teaching maths in Singapore is based on a few fundamentals:
Problem solving curriculum
Emphasis on the development of intellectual competence such as ability to visualise
Emphasis on conceptual understanding
Systematic development of skills and concepts
Emphasis on the C-P-A approach

11. True or false?
2 + 3 = X 7 = 7 X 6 20 ÷ 5 = 5 ÷ X 9 = 9 X 30 5 – 4 = 4 – = X 12 = 8 X 6 68 – 27 =59 – 18 Discuss with your neighbour the structures, relationships and connections you can see.

12. Inspire Maths Provides opportunities for problem solving
Emphasis on the development of the intellectual competence, such as the ability to visualise
Conceptual understanding
Systematic development of skills and concepts; the spiral approach
Emphasis on the C-P-A approach
Guides children into making connections between different areas of mathematics
Textbooks give structure and a systematic approach

13. Fluency and Mastery
Become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and are able to recall and apply their knowledge rapidly and accurately

14. A Mastery Curriculum
The expectation is that the majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace. However, decisions about when to progress should always be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress to the next stage. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should consolidate their understanding, including through additional practice, before moving on. (NC p3)
The slower pace is a cornerstone of this approach to teaching math, which is based on the national maths system of Singapore and aims to emulate that country’s success by promoting a deeper understanding of numbers and maths concepts. Students in Singapore have repeatedly ranked at or near the top on international math exams since the mid-1990s. Singapore approach devotes more time to fewer topics, to ensure that children master the material through detailed instruction, questions, problem solving, and visual and hands-on aids like blocks, cards and bar charts. Ideally, they do not move on until they have thoroughly learned a topic.
Principals and teachers in the USA say that slowing down the learning process gives students a solid maths foundation upon which to build increasingly complex skills, and makes it less likely that they will forget and have to be retaught the same thing in later years.
“And with the Singapore approach, the pace can accelerate by fourth and fifth grades, putting children as much as a year ahead of students in other maths programs as they grasp complex problems more quickly.”

15. National curriculum for England: mathematics programmes of study

16. Inspire Maths Programme
Lesson planning and using the text books:
Teacher’s Guide 1a and 1b
Pupil Text book 1a and 1b
Practice book 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d
Assessment book
Oxford Owl and digital offering*

17. Teaching Sequence The suggested sequence is:
Let’s learn – direct teaching/instruction
Guided practice – all working on the same concepts and skill at the same time by using pupil textbooks on the carpet
Independent practice – using practice book to consolidate
* Homework opportunities provided within pupil textbooks and practice books
Deep conceptual understanding is developed through the spiral curriculum of core topics teaching to mastery

18. Proactive or reactive teaching of maths?
Preventing the gap rather than closing the gap!
Depth and breadth not acceleration
TLLM: Teach less – learn more
Inclusive of everyone – mastery for all