Judy Boosey (TA
at St Alban's High School) has produced a summary document
providing advice for TA's working with pupils who have
difficulties in Mathematics with some supporting resources.
Click
here for the document.
| NASTA is
the newly formed, independent National Association of
School Teaching Assistants, which is sponsored and
supported by
SfE.
Ten years ago there were very few TAs in secondary schools and not many more in primary schools. |
 |
| There has been a spectacular increase in the numbers of TAs employed in the last few years, and that increase shows no sign of slowing down. Indeed the 10 year plan for science teaching produced just this summer by Government ministers sets a target to “give every secondary science teacher a higher-level specialist science assistant by 2007”. There are approximately 24,000 science teachers in England – do the sums yourself! The ex-Secretary of State for Education, Estelle Morris, spoke when in office of an aspiration for every single teacher to have their own TA. There are approximately 400,000 teachers in England! Quite clearly TAs are not just here to stay, they are big, big news. | |
Wave 3 Materials
Supporting children with gaps in their mathematical understanding
A
new Primary National Strategy publication, including extensive
teaching materials, to support further development in working
with children who have gaps in their mathematical
understanding is now available from the
Primary
Strategy website.
A focus on the most commonly
occurring types of mathematical difficulties
The materials focus on number and calculation, tackling areas
such as understanding the structure of number and operations
between numbers. Problem-solving is integrated and exemplified
in the materials, and opportunities are provided for children
to develop mathematical vocabulary.
An individualised approach
based on the particular areas the child finds difficult
The materials reflect best practice in assessment for learning
and include tracking children’s learning charts that support
the identification of the particular knowledge, skills and
understanding with which the child needs help.
Relatively small amounts of
individualised intervention
The teaching activities provide brief, focused teaching
sessions, which make it possible for the child to benefit more
fully from whole-class teaching. Where appropriate, the
activities finish with related activities for whole-class use
in order to reinforce individual learning and promote
inclusive practice.
The pack contains:
- two sets of A4 booklets, one focusing on common errors/misconceptions in addition and subtraction, and the second on common errors/misconceptions in multiplication and division. The booklets contain teaching materials, referenced by year group to the key objectives in the National Numeracy Strategy Framework for teaching mathematics;
- an A4 booklet, Resources and index of games. This booklet contains lists of mathematics equipment and everyday materials referenced in the teaching materials, photocopiable resource sheets, and an index of games contained in the teaching materials;
- an A4 booklet, Using the
pack. Within this are:
- management guidance (whole-school and classroom);
- tracking children’s learning charts for addition and subtraction, and multiplication and division;
- a professional development session to introduce Wave 3 mathematics support with particular reference to the use of the Primary National Strategy Wave 3 mathematics pack;
- an interactive CD-ROM providing direct access from electronic versions of the tracking charts to the teaching materials in pdf and Word document formats. This enables the teaching materials to be easily adapted
Click here to locate the Springboard Materials for Primary Year groups
Click here to locate the Year 7 Springboard Materials which are designed for Year 7 pupils working at level 3 and trying to move them onto level 4
Click here to locate the Year 7 Intervention Materials aimed at supporting those at level 3 or below at the start of Year 7
Click here for the Year 9 Booster Materials which are designed for pupils trying to achieve a level 5 in the KS3 SATs - please note I believe the materials are on the difficult side for this target group!