Inquiry Focus: Maths
Will a focus on basic facts increase the speed and recall of this number knowledge so it can be applied confidently when solving addition and subtraction questions to 20?
Specific Outcome 1
Quick recall of basic facts.
Specific Language Outcome 2
Articulate use of place value or splitting numbers to solve addition and subtraction problems.
Specific Outcome 3
Apply problem solving across other curriculum areas
Intervention
Quick facts practise in class: - worksheet, round the world and maths tag.
Test students on BF stage knowledge and target in teaching groups
Family of facts - 1 fact you know 4 facts.
E-ako and prototec practise
Games ie Superfingers, number of the day
Talk moves - Explain ready (which is the most efficient strategy)
Play shops? Link questions to bakery, supermarket or swimming pool or takeaways
5 question google form
I have covered specifically those above in red. It ended up being less of the worksheet as my students did more e-ako and as the term ended, beginning to do more Prototec as I decided we needed to do this on a daily basis again as it is quick.
In the beginning I began with family of facts and my students were doing quite well at this. Then at the end of the term I discovered when using family of facts for multiplication, the process of knowing one fact you know 4 facts had been forgotten.
I did test students on their bf knowledge and fully intended to focus on this in the teaching groups, however, with having to Deep Dive back to fill gaps in IKAN I didn't end up doing this, along with Elena our Maths COL leader helping me with subitizing which included Talk Moves on how they worked out the numbers. I found the students improved at this quite quickly and overall their BF improved, though they are not quick. This means they can solve problems slowly with giving time.
The Deep Diving into Fractions and Place Value has helped with making connections across concepts.Also engagement with maths is higher as the students feel success.
Teacher Learning
Research different ways to teach BF and pedagogy behind it.
Actively plan opportunities for students to learn
How can I use the data effectively.
How can I get my students to make the connection and importance of BF to be a more efficient way to answer problems.
Ensure place value is understood
Have visual displays
Gather student voice - how do they want to learn it
Contact Elena Maths Across School
Elena came in most weeks to work with the whole class and gave me lots of ideas and links to resources. She also came in and worked with a group while I worked with a group. I learnt about the importance of subitizing with the dots. I set up a google draw for
number of the day I read somewhere that giving choice of the number helped students learn so my criteria was within a number range for my maths groups. It included place value so that PV remained in their minds.
I used the data from IKAN testing for the Deep Dive which concentrated on PV, fraction knowledge and being able to articulate a fraction is a part of the whole, and stating how to read the fractions, and that when looking at the denominator, the larger the number appeared it is actually smaller. We began sharing fractions into groups as the term drew to a close. We also covered how many tens in a number by pretending the ATM machine was only giving out 10s. When finishing the JAMming the gaps in IKAN, and we had done this, these areas of IKAN we successfully achieved in most cases.
Elena has been praising me for their learning as she can see the progress my students are making. It is great having someone else seeing their progress and confirming to me what I see.
I put up fractions visual displays in the classroom and then we moved to the library where I was unable to put up displays while our classroom was revamped. My students learnt despite visual displays. Elena and I had discussed the importance of using materials which we agree is more important, and practise, practise, practise. I tried to give a different warm up each day to retain the learning.
When testing one of my students for the JAM/IKAN gap, this student said he got the link know to the adding/subtracting tens and ones we had done way earlier. Other students were able to solve problems quickly and efficiently so I knew I had success with making the connections but to hear it said with "I get it now" is fabulous.
Initially I did some research on basic facts, and then as the term progressed it fell by the wayside. I have mentioned a website in an earlier blog. Elena put me onto a website which helped with subitizing with an activity called
Splat. This has dots that are covered with a splat so how many dots under the splat. This teaches number sense. I had to subscribe to the website and this has given me access to some excellent resources. Steve who creates the resources has just started sending out a "what's the mystery number in the box? which I think will be a good warm up activity. I just watched a video of his on multiplication and the connections which I thought would be good to for my students. I have found from this that subscribing to some of these websites has given me some excellent resources.
Student Learning
Create reward system to encourage memorisation
Daily practise
Confidence to use and apply the basic facts
Explain the strategy used and the number knowledge called upon
Have the confidence to ask questions when unsure
At the end of the term, as stated previously, I have gone back to Prototec as daily practise as we have a chart that was one the wall from T1, to show progress. I have been participating with them, to bring out their sense of competition to beat the teacher. I find with Maths Tag, students can answer with time and are still too slow at around the world. I find they are more inclined to give it a go though. I have some over confident students who say they can do the tasks by self and find they can't, and some who will ask for help, and some who will always take help when offered, though they don't need it after 1, 2 questions of the task are done in a group together,
Measurable Outcome
Students have increased achievement between Timepoint 1 and Timepoint 2 data (Ikan, GLoss, Jam)
Look for changes in student self efficacy
Analyze for efficacy in student voice
Already I can see more efficacy in my students as their confidence grows. At times, they need to be prompted at what they know and then they are away. I notice that I am now able to give more differentiated learning especially for my students who are working around Stage 6. I am hopeful that when I GLOSS in the next few weeks, students will have moved from the below, and well below.
Students are more willing to help others to complete tasks which I think is a change in their efficacy as it demonstrates a confidence in what they are doing.
What does this look like?
Increased confidence and enjoyment in maths
A feeling of success in students
Active participation with quick recall in tasks and games.
Increased accuracy in computation
Overall, at this stage, while I don't think they are quicker at their basic facts. They are more confident and are enjoying maths as they feel sucessful. There is more active participation in tasks and games. There is better retention of concepts.
For me, learning about subitising and why it is important to help grow number sense is my biggest takeaway.
