Section 3

PROGRAMMES OF STUDY

Introduction

The term programme of study is used for any plan of action for teaching mathematics adopted or prepared in school, whether a whole-school or subject department plan, or a forecast produced by a teacher for a specific period such as a week, fortnight, month, term or year. Programmes of study, therefore, could be prepared for year groups, classes, groups within a class or individuals, as circumstances dictate.

Previous sections of the guidelines have identified a structure for planning pupils' mathematical experience and a set of attainment outcomes to help to describe what they can do as a result. This section considers some important issues in relation to the design of programmes of study.

Key principles

Programmes of study should have information on all three elements - kinds of learning, aspects of mathematics and contexts for learning. The programmes should achieve a balance within each element over a period of time - perhaps a month or term - through:

a range of mathematics from the different aspects;

different contexts for learning, so as to broaden pupils' experience.

In addition, they should:

provide for the range of abilities and interests of the pupils in classes, bearing in mind the widening spread of achievement in mathematics as pupils mature;

take account of the particular needs of individual pupils and groups of pupils.

Attitudes towards mathematics

In the past, pupils were less likely to be given opportunities to use initiative, because of the constraints in their mathematics curriculum. This sometimes led to blocks in understanding and skills development which coloured their use of mathematics in later education, in their work and in their everyday lives.

Positive attitudes and awareness not only aid mathematical learning, but are developed through achieving success and satisfaction in that learning. They will therefore be inextricably linked with the various attainment outcomes already described.

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© The Scottish Office Education Department, August 1991