Scaffolding Numeracy in Scaffolding Numeracy in the Middle Yearsthe Middle Years

SNMY: In the Beginning.... SNMY: In the Beginning.... The Scaffolding Numeracy in the Middle Years

(SNMY) was an Australian Research Council Project awarded to RMIT, the Victorian DEECD and the Tasmanian Education Department from July 2003 to June 2006.

The project investigated the efficacy of a new assessment-guided approach to improving student numeracy outcomes in Years 4 to 8.

In particular, it was aimed at identifying and refining a learning and assessment framework for the development of multiplicative thinking at this level using rich assessment tasks.

The project was investigated by an expert team at RMIT led by Professor Dianne Siemon

What is it? What is it? Multiplicative thinking is indicated by

a capacity to work flexibly with the concepts, representations, and strategies of multiplication (and division) as they occur in a wide range of contexts.

From Additive to Multiplicative thinking – Key concepts and strategies

Important in preventing a prolonged reliance on inefficient strategies such as ‘make-all-count-all’

Why?Why?We identified a large number of

students struggling with the concepts of Multiplication in 5/6

SNMY - Highly reflective for students with many opportunities to articulate thinking

Students feeling/experiencing success as a result of being in a like minded group

High achieving – experiencing failure too!

Teacher Inquiry & Knowledge Teacher Inquiry & Knowledge Building Cycle Building Cycle

http://www.inquirycycle.appspot.com/

Pre and Post AssessmentPre and Post AssessmentThe assessment materials are used to initially locate students against the LAF and then to assess students’ progress after targeted teaching has taken place.

Our ExperiencesOur ExperiencesPre Assessment – All 5/6 studentsArranged students in LAF groupsAdditional staffing required to

support implementation Weekly LAF sessions (45 mins)Record keeping – observations of

students articulating their thinking

Things to ConsiderThings to ConsiderSpaceResources – set upUninterrupted time

Farmers’ MarketFarmers’ Market