Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy
Improving Numeracy
www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Aim of SSLN Improving Numeracy Engagement Events
• Raise awareness of the programme for the SSLN surveys
• Share the findings and key messages from the SSLN Numeracy
2011 report
• Engage with the SSLN Numeracy Professional Learning resource
• Provide an opportunity to engage with the advice and guidance
provided within SSLN Numeracy Professional Learning Resource
with a focus on improving numeracy
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Overarching Aims
• To support the raising of attainment in mathematics and numeracy
across all stages
• To raise awareness of the strengths and areas for improvement in
children and young people’s numeracy skills
• Review strengths and areas for improvement identified within
children and young people’s responses within the SSLN Numeracy
survey 2011
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Main activities for today
• Review of strengths and areas for improvement identified within
inspection activity and SSLN numeracy survey
• Explore features of an effective curriculum and programme of
learning
• Explore the range of tasks and activities to support learner
understanding and development of broader skills
• Exploration of progression within a programme of learning
• Exploration of breadth, challenge and application in improving
learning
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range
of
resources
contexts
for
learning
Developing Numeracy
skills:
Identified good
practice in primary and
secondary
environments
approaches
to
learning and
teaching
use of local
environment
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks http://www.flickr.com/photos/rdecom http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedigitelmyr
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collaborative
learning:
sharing
thinking
early stages:
active &
exploratory
learning
Effective learning and teaching in numeracy
“All teachers have responsibility for
promoting the development of numeracy. With an
increased emphasis upon numeracy for all young
people, teachers will need to plan to revisit and
consolidate numeracy skills throughout schooling.”
Building the Curriculum 1
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The Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy (SSLN)
What is the SSLN?
•
National sample-based survey
•
The survey focuses on literacy and numeracy in alternate years, with some
pupils trialling assessments for the following year’s survey each time.
•
Schools across Scotland are invited to participate in the SSLN survey.
•
Provides a snapshot of pupil attainment in literacy and numeracy at a
specific point in time and allows for comparisons over time to be made.
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The Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy (SSLN)
• Provides valuable information at a national level on literacy and
numeracy performance at P4, P7 and S2.
• The SSLN is undertaken as part of a partnership between the
Scottish Government, Education Scotland, the Scottish
Qualifications Authority and education authorities.
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Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy 2011
(Numeracy)
Highlights from the report:
“
the vast majority of pupils said they enjoyed learning, though the
strength of agreement reduced among older pupils. Over 90 per
cent of pupils agreed that what they were learning would be useful
to them outside school”
“
The percentage of pupils not yet working within their respective
levels in numeracy was less than 1% in P4, about 2% in P7 and
about 32% in S2”
“
Pupils were less likely to receive feedback on performance and
improvement in S2 than in P4 and P7.”
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Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy 2011
(Numeracy)
“
pupils were generally more successful with tasks assessing data
and analysis and time. Tasks assessing measurement and fractions,
decimal fractions and percentages were found to be more
challenging for learners”
“
Teachers reported high levels of confidence in delivering the
Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) numeracy experiences, with
generally over 95% of primary and secondary maths teachers
confident or fairly confident. The one exception was the area of
ideas of chance and uncertainty…”
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Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy 2011
(Numeracy)
Highlights from Scotland’s Results were published on 28th March 2012 with
full results available on www.scotland.gov.uk/ssln
Also available to view are the teacher and pupils questionnaires which
capture the experiences and opinions of learning and teaching in literacy and
numeracy, exemplar questions and further data.
Learning and teaching resources( professional learning resource) based on
the SSLN survey findings support and inform learning and teaching practice in
schools and can be viewed at
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/assess
ment/ssln/resources/numeracyprofessionallearningresource/index.asp
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www.scotland.gov.uk/ssln
www.sqa.org.uk
www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Transforming
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through learning
learning
SSLN Numeracy 2011
The SSLN Numeracy 2011 survey reported that
there are many strengths in children and young
people’s performance within numeracy.
The results from the SSLN numeracy survey
highlighted the need to improve aspects of
learning in the following numeracy organisers:
•
•
Measurement
Fractions, decimal fractions and
percentages (including ratio and proportion)
Primary teachers and non-maths secondary
teachers expressed a lack of confidence in
delivering ‘ideas of chance and uncertainty’
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Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy
Professional Learning Resource ( Numeracy)
Professional learning materials provide:
• guidance and advice to help inform
learning and teaching practices in line
with the survey’s main objectives
• practitioners with more detail on
children’s and young people’s
strengths and areas for
improvement identified within the indepth analysis of the survey data
• opportunities for members of the
learning community to engage in
professional reflection, dialogue and
debate about numeracy.
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What does the SSLN Numeracy professional
Learning Resource look like?
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Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy 2011
(Numeracy)
Key aspects explored within the professional learning resource
• Tasks and activities
• Progression in learning
• Assessment Practice
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Scottish Survey of Literacy and
Numeracy 2011 (Numeracy)
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Introduction
Numeracy
Pupil Performance
•
Setting the scene
•
The place of numeracy
within the curriculum
• Pupil performance in
measurement
•
CPD presentation
•
Discrete and
contextualised learning
•
Word problems, real life
problems and problem
solving
•
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Links between attitudes
and attainment
• Pupil performance in
fractions, decimal
fractions and
percentages (including
ratio and proportion)
• Ideas of chance and
uncertainty
Section 3
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Big ideas we need to think about now?
A. Programmes of learning in mathematics
and numeracy
B. Balance of discrete learning versus
learning across the curriculum
C. Improving children and young people’s
numeracy skills further
D. Progression pathways
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A
Programmes of learning which :
• provide a platform which enables learners well-placed to develop
subsequent key ideas and methods
• support practitioners in understanding the key ideas and concepts
that hold the key to subsequent progress and support learners to
achieve an effective grasp of these core concepts and techniques
• enable practitioners to develop a stronger, more concrete, platform
on which the next stage might build rather than perceive learning as
a single ladder up which learners race
• promote breadth and depth – supplement and strengthen rather
than accelerate
• look both forwards and backwards
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B
Contextualisation v Discrete
• Number of operations
• Number of intermediate steps
• Application of inverse operations which require direct operations to be
known well
• Integration of techniques
2.3m
• Connecting learning from across Es and Os
• Blend in the nature and frequency of examples
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2.3m
2.3m
Impact of a secondary organiser on learners’
understanding
SSLN questions were categorised by numeracy organiser
Assessed
organiser
Measurement
A new television arrives in a box
which is 2m wide, 2.5m deep
and 3m tall.
What is the volume of the box?
Answer: ______________m³
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Secondary
organiser
Fractions,
decimal fractions
and percentages
C
Improving learners’ skills
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Improving Learners’ Understanding
Activity 1
Group discussion
Given:
•
•
•
•
Improving learners’ skills overview
SSLN Performance overview
Exemplar questions (Activity 1)
Discussion worksheets (Activity 1)
1. Review aspects of learning which were identified as strengths and
areas for improvement in the 2011 SSLN numeracy survey
2. How will your establishment use these findings to improve pupil
performance in the identified areas ?
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D Progression in Learning
Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy 2011
(Numeracy) findings
60% of tasks, based on the
measurement organiser, were
answered correctly by P4 pupils.
52% of tasks, based on the
measurement organiser, were
answered correctly by P7
pupils.
36% of tasks based on the
measurement organiser,
answered correctly by S2 pupils.
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Progression in Measurement
Early
First
Second
Third
Fourth
P4
Counting squares to
measure area of irregular
shapes
P7
Relationship between
area and perimeter
S2
Relationships between
length, area and volume
Using length, area and
volume of one item to
estimate the length area
and volume of another
Calculating volumes
(including inverse
operations)
Measuring and
conversion of units,
Reading a scale to measure especially involving
length, volume and weight.
decimal fractions
Measuring lengths and
weights involving every-day
objects, particularly when
involving halves or quarters.
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Fractions, decimal
fractions and
percentages as a
secondary organiser
Problem solving in context
of length, perimeter, area
and volume
Conversion of units for
length, weight and volume
Fractions, decimal fractions
and percentages as a
secondary organiser
Significant aspects
“Within the mathematics organisers there are
significant aspects of learning which need to be
strengthened at each stage in order that there is a
platform from which learners are well placed to build
on. In particular, where fundamental points of
learning are not well known, this impacts negatively
on learner performance as they move from stage to
stage.”
Assessing progress and achievement in mathematics
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Identifying Significant Aspects of Learning
Activity 1b
Looking at the experiences and outcomes for measurement and
fractions, decimal fractions and percentages;
Possible focus 1 : Choose experiences and outcomes from a particular
level of either organiser and discuss and note what you consider to be
the significant aspects of learning.
Possible focus 2 : Choose a group of experiences and outcomes, as
identified in your programme of learning, to discuss and note what you
consider to be significant aspects of learning
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Progression
Activity
Given:
• Numeracy Es and Os
• Improving learners’ skills overview
• SSLN Performance overview
• Activity 2 worksheets 1, 2a/b and 3
2
Choosing either measurement or fractions, decimal fractions and percentages:
1.Identify at each stage, what are the significant aspects of learning that would
allow learners to confidently answer these questions?
2.Identify the knowledge and skills which require further development to ensure
effective progression to the next stage.
3. Using your identified learning progression, consider how you would plan for
progression in your learning environment.
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Embedding Problem Solving in Learning
“To emphasise that problem solving is fundamental to
good learning and teaching in all aspects of mathematics
and its applications, problem solving will be addressed
within all lines of development rather than appearing as
a separate element.”
Building the Curriculum 1
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Embedding Problem Solving in Learning
Activity 3
What does problem solving look like in your
classroom /department /school?
How are you supporting learners to develop and employ
numeracy strategies in order to understand and solve a range
of problems?
Activity 3
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Word problems, real-life problems and problem solving
The SSLN numeracy survey included tasks with different degrees of
challenge. The in-depth analysis of learners’ performance in these
tasks indicate the need to strengthen their skills to:
• select and identify an appropriate strategy
• comprehend and interpret questions, particularly word problems
• connect their learning across the numeracy experiences and
outcomes
• use appropriate notation and vocabulary
• realise the importance of accurate calculations
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Planning for Improvement
Planning learning and teaching
Questioning
• Starting with one or two more challenging questions.
•
Positive informed decisions about type of questions to select.
(Higher Order Thinking)
Types of problems
• Greater range involving different sorts of numbers (whole numbers/integers/
fractions/decimal fractions/percentages).
•
Different contexts using similar numbers.
•
Word problems which are not amenable to merely extracting key words and
numbers (shift importance of focus from merely identifying leading words
and numbers).
•
Greater depth to support learners’ to think more deeply about the process,
rather than the outcome.
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Planning for Improvement
Observing Learning in Numeracy
Do learners:
•
estimate answers before carrying out calculations?
•
use efficient strategies to solve problems?
•
explain their strategies/articulate thinking?
•
exhibit fluency and confidence in mental calculations?
•
apply accuracy in written calculations?
Are learners:
•
encouraged to consider the reasonableness of their answer?
•
applying their skills within another curriculum area?
•
all working at an appropriate level of challenge to meet individual needs?
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Planning for Improvement
Activity 4
Reflecting on the suggested strategies for improving learning in
numeracy - share good practice that you have observed or any
developments implemented in your school/department
Activity 4
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