1. The Transition from Intermediate to Secondary Schools in Mathematics Neil Marshall NCEA National Coordinator – Mathematics & Statistics Secondary Mathematics Advisor – Auckland region n.marshall@auckland.ac.nz

2. Goals for today Develop an understanding of the challenges students and teachers in tackling NCEA Seek a common understanding of the needs of the secondary mathematics classroom

3. General goals All students gain level 1 numeracy in year 11. Provide pathways so as many students as possible can achieve Level 2 mathematics

4. Data Students arrive in secondary mathematics classroom working at Curriculum level 3, 4 and 5. Students arrive in secondary classrooms at stages 5,6,7 & 8 of the Numeracy project Stages. Level 1 Numeracy requires students to be working at level 5.5 (Numeracy Unit Standards) or level 6 (Achievement Standards)

5. Courses Mathematics is not compulsory in year 11 and schools have considerable flexibility in designing a curriculum and choosing assessments that meet the needs of their students.

6. Typical courses High achieving students are usually presented with a course high in algebraic content that also includes geometry and statistics. Low achieving students are usually presented with a course that covers number, measurement and statistics. I believe strongly that, given shifts in teacher pedagogy, the vast majority of students can access the Achievement Standards

7. Assessments Look at the two NCEA Level 1 assessments that are designed for low to middle students. What would be the key elements of a teaching and learning programme that supports students to access these assessment tasks? Work in groups and feedback after 20 minutes. No need to do the tasks!

8. Key messages Students have to be multiplicative: level 7/8 in year 11 Basics facts – tables please Number is crucial: without it students cannot access algebra. Mathematical literacy is crucial: not just subject specific literacy. Thinking thinking skills: multiplicative, relational and extended abstract

10. So please, as far as possible As high as numeracy stage as possible Literacy Thinking Consider constructing coverage of other strands in a way that makes them a vehicle for number, literacy and thinking.