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providing differentiated tasks or tasks which can be attempted
at several levels of achievement;
seeking to match the pace of progress to the
range of potential in their class and, as far as possible, challenging
pupils without overwhelming them;
trying to provide scope for all pupils in their
class to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skill.
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| Demands in problem-solving and enquiry can be adapted
to enable every pupil to make a contribution. All, for example,
may be able to participate in discussion of the key issues to be
considered, in an enquiry, in how to go about it or in aspects of
the reporting phase. Pupils may vary widely, however, in the techniques
they can bring to the task and hence this phase may need to be divided
into a number of sub-tasks of differing difficulty. Greater demands
can be made of mathematically gifted pupils. For example, they can
be encouraged to generalise, to seek justifications for conclusions
and to be more precise in their reporting; they can also be expected
to cope with more complex problems which involve a wider range of
strategies or extended data.
In learning concepts, facts and techniques, activities involving
practical work, educational play and simulations of real-life,
using a computer or otherwise, should be organised throughout
the age range to provide insight and understanding. Calculators
should be used to good purpose as discussed elsewhere in the guidelines.
Pupils should only be exposed to the more abstract areas of mathematics
when they are ready for them.
Enjoyment of mathematics is not the prerogative of able mathematicians,
although the scope for them is wider. All pupils can, and should
be encouraged to, gain pleasure and satisfaction in using mathematics.
Games, puzzles, constructional equipment, computer software and
calculators can create interest and excitement. Some pupils will
gain satisfaction from successfully coping with the calculations
required for daily routines such as shopping, catering or travel.
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