Review of Mathematics
Working
Needs
Worth
Well
Attention Trying
Strands and strand units
Measures are in place in order to ensure that all teachers are familiar with the
curriculum for their class level and that this familiarity is maintained if teachers change
classes or if new teachers join the staff
Specific issues relating to multi-class situations are addressed, e.g. multiple textbooks,
use of materials, timetabling
Teachers’ planning is based on the Maths Curriculum and over reliance on text books
is avoided
There is equal emphasis placed on all strands
Mental Maths is encouraged across all the strands and is given a specific time slot
Methodologies
Talk and Discussion
Steps are taken to create an environment where talk and discussion in mathematics is
taken seriously and seen as an integral part of the learning process, e.g. teacher/pupil,
pupil/pupil, pupil/teacher
Opportunities are provided for pupils to explain how they got the answer to a problem,
discuss alternative ways of approaching a problem or give oral descriptions of group
solutions
The teacher actively models the language to be used, particularly when talking
through the problem-solving process
There is an agreed emphasis on the language of mathematics, that is, for each class
level there is a list of terminology and language. This list is being used at each level.
Teachers identify common approaches to the language used in
o Addition – total, sum of, add, and …
o Subtraction – minus, subtraction, take-away, difference, less than …
o Multiplication – times, product of, multiply, groups of …
o Division – divide, share, split, groups of …
o Equals – same as, is, will be, answer is, means …
Evidence/
Comment
(noted in school plan)
There is a common approach to the teaching of number facts (tables), e.g. for 3 X 4,
do we say three fours, three groups of four, four threes, four groups of three?
Active learning and guided discovery
Strategies are agreed for teaching
 Addition - top to bottom or bottom to top …
 Subtraction - use of materials and decomposition (transition boards …)
 Multiplication - vertical/horizontal presentation, skip counting, using mental
strategies such as identifying doubles, near doubles, multiplying by 5 and 10,
using games to reinforce facts, developing and honing estimation skills
 Division - concept of sharing, understanding division as repeated subtraction,
developing estimation skills
 Addition and subtraction of fractions and time
These strategies are outlined in the school plan and are adhered to
Concrete materials are regularly used in the teaching of maths beyond 2nd class
Mathematical games are in use at each level, e.g. dice, cards, dominoes, games
devised by the children themselves - middle and senior levels
These games are being used to support particular areas of mathematics. Children are
familiar with how to play them and clear about when they have access to them
Collaborative and co-operative learning
Steps are taken to ensure that children learn the skills needed to work as a group
rather than just in a group, e.g. listening to others, turn-taking, appreciating that others’
opinions are important?
There are opportunities provided for children to learn from their peers, e.g. buddy
systems, older children ‘teaching’ younger ones
Each class uses a variety of organisational styles, e.g. pair work, group work and
whole class work
Problem-solving
Children are encouraged to use their own ideas as a context for problem-solving
There is agreement on using strategies such as RAVECCC* Read, Attend to key
words, Visualise, Estimate, Choose numbers, Calculate, Check; RUDE* Read,
Underline, Draw, Estimate; and ROSE* Read, Organise, Solve, Evaluate (or others
designed by schools) to support children’s problem-solving strategies
The school is providing opportunities for all children, Infants to Sixth class and
including those with special needs, to have the opportunity to experience problemsolving activities, for example, by giving oral problems; by having them use objects
to solve the problem; by using smaller numbers; by using items in the environment,
for example, how many beads can I hold in one hand - a little, a lot, more than
teacher?
Children are encouraged to find multiple approaches to solving one problem
Equal emphasis is placed on the process of problem-solving as well as finding the
answer
Children are encouraged to listen to the views of others when solving problems and to
accept the reasoning of others
Problem solving lessons are varied and include:
 Word problems
 Open-ended tasks
 Practical investigations
 Puzzles
 Games
 Projects
 Mathematical trails
 Missing/surplus/contradictory data
Using the environment
The school environment is used to provide opportunities for mathematical problemsolving, for example, putting numbers on doors; marking heights on dado rails or
cupboards which can be used for comparison; having a puzzle of the week on the
school notice board; having a mathematics facts board (Did you know?) to which
children can contribute; using large die in PE to pick teams; set number of laps to run;
using hula hoops for sorting children in the PE hall?
Mathematical trails are used within and outside of the school building. These are in
line with the school’s Health and Safety policy
Children are given opportunities to present/display their mathematical work in the
class/corridor/school, web site
Skills through content
Teachers ensure that skills are being actively developed through the content.(See
Teacher Guidelines: Mathematics pp. 68-69)
Is there evidence to be seen that transfer of those skills is taking place in other areas
 Applying and problem solving, for example, selecting appropriate materials
and processes in science
 Communicating and expressing, for example, discussing and explaining the
processes used to map an area in geography
 Integrating and connecting, for example, recognising mathematics in the
environment
 Reasoning, for example, exploring and investigating patterns and relationships
in music
 Implementing, for example, using mathematics as an everyday life skill
 Understanding and recalling, for example, understanding and recalling
terminology, facts, definitions, and formulae
Presentation of work
There is an agreed approach to numeral formation in the junior classes
There a whole-school approach to presentation of written work
A variety of options for recording work is provided appropriate to class levels and
abilities, for example, drawing a picture to show the result; using ICT; using concrete
materials to demonstrate how the result was obtained; using a diagram;
telling/explaining
Assessment and Record Keeping
A variety of modes of assessment (of and for learning) is used consistently in all
classes to monitor pupil progress
All strands of the Maths Curriculum programme are being adequately assessed
 Number
 Shape and Space
 Data
 Measures
 Algebra
Assessment results are analysed
 at school level
 at class level
 for individual pupils where particular concerns arise
Results of assessment are used for
 screening purposes
 for diagnosis of learning difficulties
 to identify aspects of Numeracy in need of re-teaching
A broad range of assessment tools is being used?
 Teacher observation
 Teacher-designed tests and tasks
 Work samples, portfolios and projects
 Curriculum profiles
 Mastery records
 Diagnostic tests (mainly resource/learning-support)
 Standardised tests
Children are involved in the setting of personal targets, for example, number facts
targets
Records are managed and stored in line with the school’s policy on record keeping
Children with different needs
Children with learning difficulties
Children with special needs are provided with access to all strands of the mathematics
curriculum
Mainstream classes provide a differentiated programme to cater for children with
learning difficulties
Supplementary teaching available for children with learning difficulties in mathematics
A collaborative approach between the class teacher and the learning-support/resource
teacher is ensured
A good supply of resources are available to assist children with special needs
ICT is used to support teaching and learning for children with special needs
Team Teaching is used as an early intervention/ prevention strategy and for provision
of learning support
Children with exceptional ability
A variety of strategies are in use throughout the to provide challenges for children of
exceptional ability
 Teachers provide a differentiated programme
 Children are facilitated to work on independent research projects
 ICT is used to support their work
 Children are facilitated to work with older/other pupils
Homework
The staff has discussed and understands the purpose of assigning mathematics
homework (See Teacher Guidelines: Mathematics p. 20)
Mathematics homework reflects the active learning approach as described in the
curriculum
There is agreement on what type of homework is assigned.
Homework is differentiated taking into account the range of abilities within the class
Care is taken to avoid overloading children attending learning support with extra
homework
Resources and ICT
A good supply of resources are available for all class levels and for all strands
Resources are stored centrally and accessible to all teachers
There is a specific set of resources in each classroom at all times
There is a list of software/videos/DVDs currently available in the school to support the
various strands/strand units in mathematics
Teachers are familiar with the curriculum recommendations for the use of calculators
Parental Involvement
School provides advice to parents on engaging their children in maths related activities
in the home
Guidance is provided on content, methodologies and skills and also on mathematical
language