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Introduction
The recent Primary National Strategy pack, Speaking, listening and Learning:
working with children in Key Stage 1 and 2, highlighted the importance of speaking
and listening in teaching and learning in the primary classroom.
The pack stressed that speaking and listening objectives should be taught not just
through literacy, but also across the curriculum.
However, the examples for links with mathematics are rather limited, and where they
do exist are fairly obvious examples play guess my shape type games, or ask
children to explain their answers.
This supplement is designed to highlight opportunities in mathematics where less
obvious objectives or activities could be used to extend childrens speaking and
listening skills.
How can speaking and listening improve the learning within a mathematics
lesson?
The introduction to the PNS Speaking, Listening and Learning handbook states the
following:
Language is an integral part of most learning and oral language in particular has a
key role in classroom teaching and learningin their daily lives, children use
speaking and listening to solve problems, speculate, make decisions and reflect
on what is important.
The outcomes listed above are all characteristics of a good mathematician along
with thinking flexibly, linking ideas and making connections, predicting, drawing
conclusions and having the confidence to take risks. Being able to fill a book with
pages of sums is not a characteristic of a well-rounded mathematician; it is a byproduct of their skills.
Developing speaking and listening skills in mathematics could:
The table presented on page 22 of the Handbook highlights the possible dos and
donts of teacher talk. Unfortunately much of the dont column can still be related to
teacher talk in mathematics lessons some of the ideas and activities in this
supplement are to help teachers to develop more of the dos.
Debates
Health warning?
Advice? Comments?
Think carefully about
the pairing social
group, mixed ability,
same ability etc. The
Handbook
recommends keeping
the partnership the
same for half a term
to build confidence
and trust
Seat accordingly
before the lesson
be aware of absence
Beware of special
needs/children who
find it hard to get
along vary partners
where necessary
Links with
conscience alley
Difficult to produce
statements which
lead to effective
discussions
Physical opinion poll
line/placement
Constant reminders
of expectations
Beware of children
who copy sit these
at the front
Praise
Give instructions
before moving into
place remind
Give all children a
role or a task,
purpose for watching
to avoid behaviour
problems, lack of
interest
Where children really
want to have a turn
save children with
Predicaments and
problems
behaviour problems
to later in order to
keep them motivated.
They may loose
interest after they
have had their turn.
Radio Broadcast
Just a minute
A shape
A graph e.g. tell the story described by
a line graph
A mathematical resource (bead string,
cubes, protractor)
A mathematical word
Teacher models speaking for 1 min
pupils spot deliberate mistakes.
recorder or
Dictaphone be used?
Could a follow up
activity be to then
ask the group to
record all their
thoughts onto a large
sheet of paper
class display?
1 minute may be a
little long for KS1
Role Play
Conscience /Calculation
Alley
Conscience /Calculation
Alley
Conscience /Calculation
Alley
Hot Seating
Meetings
Health warning?
Advice? Comments?
Some will need to
brainstorm in a group
the different clues
they have may be
useful to use mixed
ability groups / pairs.
The person guessing
could be from a
different group, who
are also doing the
same activity, rather
than being left
outside, waiting for.
Human function
machine
Encourage speaking
and listening skills by
adding red herrings
and asking children
to explain how they
know which answers
are the red herrings.
Encourage speaking
and listening skills by
adding red herrings
and asking children
to explain how they
know which answers
are the red herrings.
Need to be given
examples modelled
to begin with. Will
also need to see
pictures as examples
Could be carried out
in small groups and
with limited number
of questions.
This can be recorded
through
observation/tape
recordings.
Use this technique
for setting
Meetings
Paired improvisation
See practical activities pack
up/developing role
play area, or at a
more basic level for
younger children
This can be recorded
through
observation/tape
recordings.
Focus on using
specific mathematical
vocabulary to be
maths detectives.
This can be recorded
through
observation/tape
recordings.
Snowballing
Statement Game
Envoys
Properties of a 2 or 3 D shape
Properties of a number
Health warning?
Advice? Comments?
KS1 + 2
Seems similar to talk
partners
Time limit all pairs
some pairs inform
children to avoid
disappointment
KS2
Classroom
organisation needs to
be fluid.
Organisation!?
Consider space in
hall etc.
More KS2 orientated
Babble gabble
Barrier games
Word Tennis
Health warning?
Advice? Comments?
Modelling of how to
approach problems
by teacher may be
needed prior to
lesson
Draw a story
Draw a story
Telephone conversation
Choose appropriate
problems which lend
themselves to
pictorial
representations
Verbal instructions
only, no hand signals
allowed!
Think carefully about
the data given and
how it is represented
and the differing
ways it can be
interpreted.
Visualisation activities