Aberdeen City Council: Developing and embedding interactive mental maths

Objectives

The objectives of the project were to:

• exchange good practice between all staff in relation to interactive teaching methods including mental maths
• develop a whole school approach in interactive maths with appropriate documents for policy and planning
• embed interactive mental maths into lessons to incorporate existing formative assessment strategies
• raise pupils' and parents' awareness of real-life applications and methods
• ensure staff were involved in sharing good practice through the associated schools group (ASG) and the authority through CPD events.

Method

Children engaged in short, daily interactive sessions over a four-week period. Teachers were encouraged to use Assessment is for Learning strategies, including Thumbs-up and Wait Time. The children completed initial assessment exercises before undertaking work from a mental maths activity pack. At the end of the block, the same assessment was carried out, which allowed staff to measure progress made. Parents were given a follow-up questionnaire and the teachers who were involved in activities completed an evaluation.

Key findings

• Overall, in mental maths activities, pupils’ ability has improved and the pace and challenge of learning and teaching has increased.
• Teachers' confidence has improved in the range of activities they can incorporate into lessons.
• Teachers appreciated the resources available as this has time and planning implications.
• Using interactive techniques allowed for teachers to gain a very quick general assessment of where the children are at.
• It raised the motivation of the pupils.
• It highlighted the practical applications of number and mental maths strategies, and made pupils and parents more aware of the relevance and uses in everyday life.

Future developments

• Create activity packs for P4-P7, as initially intended. (This was not achieved this session due to time constraints.)
• Ensure that each class within school undertakes interactive mental maths activities three to five times weekly and that teachers plan for progression.
• Purchase of appropriate interactive mental maths resources.
• Encourage staff to participate in mental maths courses.
• Staff are to share resources on the authority website www.abernet.org.uk.
• Staff are to plan and carry out CPD within the ASG and at authority-wide events.
• Planning documents to be made available to all schools.
• Details to be shared through the Released Teacher scheme.
• Presentation of work at inter-authority events on ‘Curriculum for Excellence and Numeracy’.