Www.educationscotland.gov.uk SSLN Improving Numeracy

www.educationscotland.gov.uk

SSLN Improving Numeracy

Transforming lives through learning

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


Agenda

• 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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Developing Numeracy skills:

Identified good practice in primary and

secondary environments

approaches to

learning andteaching

contextsfor

learning

rangeof

resources

collaborative learning:sharing thinking

use of localenvironment

early stages:active &

exploratorylearning

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rdecom

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedigitelmyr


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


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.


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.


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.”



“ 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…”


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 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/assessment/ssln/resources/numeracyprofessionallearningresource/index.asp

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ssln




Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy (SSLN)

SSLN information and guidance for 2013 is available from

http://www.ssln.org.uk

Important dates

April 2013 SSLN Literacy Survey results published and SSLN Literacy Professional Learning Resource Part 1

May 2013 SSLN Numeracy survey 2013 takes place

September 2013 SSLN Literacy Professional Learning Resource Part 2 published from September 2013 onwards

http://www.ssln.org.uk/


www.scotland.gov.uk/ssln

www.sqa.org.uk

www.educationscotland.gov.uk


http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ssln

http://www.sqa.org.uk/

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/


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’


Scottish Survey of Literacy and NumeracyProfessional 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 in-depth analysis of the survey data

• opportunities for members of the learning community to engage in professional reflection, dialogue and debate about numeracy.



Key aspects explored within the professional learning resource

• Tasks and activities

• Progression in learning

• Assessment Practice



Section 1 Introduction

•Setting the scene

•CPD presentation

Section 3Pupil Performance

•Pupil performance in measurement

•Pupil performance in fractions, decimal fractions and percentages (including ratio and proportion)

•Ideas of chance and uncertainty

Section 2

Numeracy

• The place of numeracy within the curriculum

• Discrete and contextualised learning

• Word problems, real life problems and problem solving

• Links between attitudes and attainment


Section 3




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


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


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

• Connecting learning from across Es and Os

• Blend in the nature and frequency of examples

2.3m

2.3m

2.3m


C Improving learners’ skills


Improving Learners’ SkillsActivity 1

Group discussionGiven:• 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 ?


D Progression in LearningScottish 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.


Second First Third Fourth Early

P4Counting squares to measure area of irregular shapes

Using length, area and volume of one item to estimate the length area and volume of another

Reading a scale to measure length, volume and weight.

Measuring lengths and weights involving every-day objects, particularly when involving halves or quarters.

P7Relationship between area and perimeterCalculating volumes

Measuring and conversion of units, especially involving decimal fractions

Fractions, decimal fractions and percentages as a secondary organiser

S2Relationships between length, area and volume (including inverse operations)

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

Progression in Measurement


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


Significant aspects

http://sunburst.usd.edu/~kreins/extras/Learning%20Trajectory%20for%20Fractions.pdf

http://sunburst.usd.edu/~kreins/extras/Learning%20Trajectory%20for%20Fractions.pdf


ProgressionActivity 2Given:

•Improving learners’ skills overview• SSLN Performance overview• Exemplar questions on progression indicating strengths and areas for

improvement (Activity 2)• Exemplar questions Discussion worksheets (Activity 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.


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


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


Embedding Problem Solving in Learning Activity 3

• Exemplar questions and discussion worksheet

(Activity 3)

1. How can we support learners to develop confidence and resilience?

2. What does breadth, challenge and application look like in numeracy within your establishment/class?

3. How are learners’ problem solving skills being developed, how do you know?

4. How are learners being supported to identify appropriate strategies to solve problems?


Planning for Improvement

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.

Planning learning and teaching



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?

Planning for Improvement


Additional Information

• National Assessment Resource

On-going publication of support for assessment – most recently Making Good Assessment Decisions

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/assessment/sharingstandards/assessmentchoices.asp

• Assessing progress and achievement

On-going professional learning support for all curriculum areas http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/assessment/

progressandachievement/professionallearningresource/index.asp


Additional Information

• Curriculum for Excellence Briefing papers

Ongoing publication of advice and guidance

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/thecurriculum/whatiscurriculumforexcellence/keydocs/cfebriefings.asp

• Scottish Learning Festival 2013

25/26 September 2013

Raising the Bar in Scotland - Transforming Lives through Learning.

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/slf/index.asp

[email protected]

Karen.Russell@educationscotland .gov.uk

[email protected]

[email protected]


Documents

Www.educationscotland.gov.uk SSLN Improving Numeracy