National_Numeracy_Strategy_for_Ks3

THE IMPACT OF THE NATIONAL NUMERACY STRATEGY ON KEY STAGE THREE PUPILS. INTRODUCTION This report evaluates the National Numeracy Strategy, the practise of my placement school against the expectations of the strategy, relates my practise to the theories on effective teaching strategies as laid out in the strategy and finally, its impact on pupils in key stage 3 at my A Placement School. For the purpose of this report, l will focus on three elements of the strategy’s main principles of teaching - Directing and telling, Questioning and discussing, Consolidating and embedding. The Key Stage 3 National Numeracy Strategy - A Brief History In 1997, the Numeracy Strategies for key stages 1 and 2 was announced, the expectation for Mathematics is that 75% of 11 year olds will achieve at minimum level 4 in the National Curriculum tests by 2002, 72% of year 6 pupils achieved the expected level in may 2000 (DfEE 2001 ) The Mathematics strand of the key stage 3 National Strategy aims to build on pupils’ achievements and experience of the National Numeracy Strategy for Primary schools as well as to improve the transition from primary to secondary school. The framework for teaching mathematics accompanied the launch of the key stage 3 strategy; this Framework gives guidance on planning, teaching and assessing the National Curriculum for mathematics in Key Stage 3 by extending the Key Stage 1 and 2 Frameworks. It also provides practical support to teachers on building on pupils’ achievements and catch-up support for pupils starting Key Stages 3 below level 4. Most mathematics teachers found the original National Curriculum, introduced in 1989, too prescriptive and the list of statements of attainment overwhelming. The Framework was thus seen as helpful in providing over 60 objectives for each year group in Key Stage 3 based on progression, its acceptance was huge, the planning and teaching resources has been widely welcomed and valued. The Key Stage 3 Numeracy Strategy places more emphasis on pupil participation and less on traditional textbook, a key principle of the strategy is that pupils should use methods which they understand. About Placement School and the Mathematics Department. The mathematics department of Eltham Hill Technology College for Girls is a well organised department with seven mathematics teachers including the Head of Department. The Head of Department provides strong leadership and sets high standards for the staff and pupils. Teachers planning, teaching and assessment are monitored systematically and feedback given. There is opportunity for peer observation where teachers observe each other teaching and regularly meet to discuss and develop common understanding of the mathematics curriculum and appropriate teaching methods. The department aims to provide well planned and resourced curriculum following the National Numeracy Strategy. The scheme of work is based on identified teaching and learning objectives and ensures consistent approach and good progression. Pupils learn in an attractive environment with interactive displays to develop mathematical thinking. Practices advocated by the strategy The very influential report of Cockcroft (1982) was echoed in the section of the Framework on direct teaching. The framework suggests, ‘Aim to spend a high proportion of each lesson in direct teaching, often of a whole class, but also of groups and individuals’ DfEE (2001, pp 26). Direct teaching was explained in the document as thus, ’High-quality direct teaching is oral, interactive and lively, and will not be achieved by lecturing the class, or by always expecting pupils to teach themselves indirectly from books. It is a two-way process in which pupils are expected to play an active part by answering questions, contributing points to discussions, and explaining and demonstrating their methods and solutions to others in the class DfEE (2001, pp 26). Different teaching strategies were laid out by the strategy which needs balancing in order to achieve good direct teaching. This report will focus on three out of the eight elements of good direct teaching. Directing and telling: ‘sharing your teaching objectives with the class, ensuring that pupils know what to do, and drawing attention to points over which they should take particular care, such as how to ensure that one step follows from another in a mathematical argument, the degree of accuracy to adopt when making a measurement, how to set out work or to label a graph…’ DfEE ( 2001, pp 26) Setting out clear objectives; teachers and pupils need to have a clear purpose for their teaching and learning. In terms of the teaching l did, the learning objectives where shared with the class, success criteria was used to draw attention to points of interest. For all the lessons l observed, teachers were more sophisticated with the use of telling and they used substantial amount of indirect teaching such as playing games, where mathematics learning is subordinated to the activity to great effect. In order to achieve the long term aim of teaching which is to help pupils become more independent in their own learning and in their ability to make and monitor choices, then a good teacher cannot carry on ‘directing’ forever, the teacher will direct in order not to direct, the good teacher has a range of skills that will be recreated and newly balanced in every lesson. Questioning and discussing: ‘questioning in ways which match the direction and pace of the lesson to ensure that all pupils take part (if needed, supported by apparatus, a calculator or a communication aid, or by an adult who translates, signs or uses symbols); using open and closed questions, skilfully framed, adjusted and targeted to make sure that pupils of all abilities are involved and contribute to discussions; asking for explanations; giving time for pupils to think before inviting an answer; listening carefully to pupils’ responses and responding constructively in order to take forward their learning; challenging their assumptions and making them think…’ DfEE (2001, pp 27). To scaffold and support pupils learning, when confronted by a new task and new learning, they may often be unsure of how to proceed if the leap is too big from existing understanding and so l provided suitable scaffolds and support to enable the pupils take small, secure steps towards their learning goal. This section was a feature in one of the departmental meeting agenda, where the teaching staff shared their practise on this; what works for them and not. This section involves much more than the teacher asking questions, working on my questioning techniques is one area l intend to invest a lot of thought and practice on in my next placement. Consolidating and embedding: ‘providing varied opportunities to practise and develop newly learned skills, through a variety of activities in class and well-focused homework; asking pupils either with a partner or as a group to reflect on and talk through a process; inviting them to expand their ideas and reasoning, or to compare and then refine their methods and ways of recording their work; encouraging them to use and apply their mathematical skills to solve mathematical problems across the curriculum…’ DfEE (2001, pp 27). In my planning and careful explanation, lessons were structured explicitly to help pupils see and understand the links between the different parts of a lesson and how the contribute to their learning. Often, there is an opportunity for paired discussion on what happened in a lesson, pupils talk through the mathematics, this does not only consolidate the lesson but forms a crucial part of their learning process. Experienced mathematics teachers in the school always balance the needs of individuals with appropriate content, practice in discussion and intervention when necessary. Using a whole class teaching often and sometimes group and individual, is encouraged by the strategy. The whole-class teaching has an outline structure of a three-part lesson which is highly recommended since it can be adapted to different circumstances. ‘Neither the National Numeracy Strategy nor the key stage 3 National Strategy explicitly claim to have a theoretical basis, although the whole-class teaching in the three-part lessons is intended to be highly interactive, prioritising the use of language as in social constructivism’ (sue The three-part lesson provides a beginning (starter) which is used to explain to pupils and prepare them for what they are to learn, a middle (Main activity/lesson) which is used to help to teach it to them and the end (plenary) which is used to help them to recognise what they have achieved. The impact of the Strategy on key stage 3 pupils There is research evidence that indicates that the key stage 3 strategy has had an impact on teaching and learning in secondary schools. The Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) evaluated the third year of the strategy noted the following success: * The strategy is helping to improve teaching,. * Teachers welcomed the training and are enthused by the developments brought to schools by the strategy. * Albeit uneven pupil’s attainment, there is generally, an increasingly positive effect. Chris and Liz Bills (2005) commented on how the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy in primary schools from September 2001 has had huge impacts on both the content and style of mathematics lessons. Particularly, the way pupils make calculations now, are quite different from the way we were taught. The key stage 3 curriculums and teaching practices has had a positive impact on pupils in my placement school. Pupils’ wider key skills have improved, particularly in working with others and in developing greater confidence and independence in lessons. Pupils are more orally confident, engaged, independent and co-operative, prepared to make mistakes, enquiring and are starting to see links between subjects. The framework seeks to improve teaching and learning standards and the demand is that we, as teachers should prepare our pupils for life-long learning so that they can respond to changing demands of the job market in order to maintain economic welfare. The demands of technology makes mathematical thinking more desirable, thus pupils’ confidence in mathematics needs to be developed. The next step for me based on achieving these targets, is to thrive to develop my pedagogical knowledge of my subject, celebrate active learners rather than passive pupils, constructors of knowledge rather than receivers of and hopefully use this in my second placement to enhance pupils’ learning and achievements. REFERENCES: DfEE (2001) Key Stage 3 National Strategy - Framework for Teaching Mathematics: Years 7, 8, and 9, London: Department for Education and Employment. Capel, S., Leask, M. And Turner, T. (2005). Learning to Teach in the Secondary School: a Companion to School Experience. 4th ed. London: RoutledgeFalmer. HMI (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate). (2004). The Key Stage 3 Strategy: Evaluation of the third Year. London: OFSTED. Johnston-Wilder, S., Johnston-Wilder, P., Pimm, D., Westwell, J., ed., (2005). Learning to Teach Mathematics in the Secondary School: a Companion to School Experience. 2nd ed. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Brooks, V., Abbott, I., Bills, L., ed., (2004). Preparing to teach in Secondary Schools: A Student Teacher’s Guide to Professional Issues in Secondary Education. London: Open University press. Perks, P. And Prestage, S. (2001). Teaching the National Numeracy Strategy at Key Stage 3. London: RoutledgeFalmer.