Talking numeracy

Our numeracy project, Talking Numeracy, will improve the skills of Teaching Assistants in order to enable them to better pass on their knowledge to pupils when working on specific areas of maths. The new numeracy workshop consists of six hours of high-quality, professional, development training, split into two sessions.

Our pilot project will run 10 of these courses, each involving between 10-12 Teaching Assistants at a cost of £75 a head.

The sessions will cover:

• The role of the teaching Assistant – considering key features of effective support in mathematics.
• Promoting understanding of numbers and place values – using models and images to promote sound understanding of core number concepts.
• Developing effective questioning – developing the use of open questions to assess understanding and promote learning.
• Promoting understanding of addition/subtraction – developing understanding and confidence in mental calculation strategies and using jottings to support thinking.
• Promoting meaningful maths talk – enabling children to engage in purposeful maths talk to develop mathematical thinking and support high-quality assessment.
• Promoting understanding of multiplication/division – developing key models and images that promote understanding and underpin mental strategies.

During the time interval between the first and second sessions, participants will carry out a range of complementary activities in school, supported by a mentor from the school staff. These tasks are designed to help Teaching Assistants rehearse and develop key ideas within their own context. They will discuss activities and outcomes from the course with the mentor and other teachers with whom they work, so that they can be supported in their on-going professional development work.

Talking Numeracy will be led by highly-regarded, numeracy consultant, Jane McNeill. She has worked extensively as a mathematics consultant for Oxfordshire LA, the National Strategies and the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics. The trainers will be experienced numeracy consultants, Ann Parham and Kath Oldham, both of whom have previously worked for Oxfordshire County Council.

Schools that are interested are encouraged to download the attached document and contact our offices directly on 01865 403208, or e-mail info@readingquest.org.uk.

 Thinking science

Reading Quest is supporting Magdalen College School (MCS) in Oxford to run an innovative pilot literacy science project with pupils from the private sector supporting state school pupils, many from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Pupils from the independent school will work alongside state school pupils and support the reading and understanding of the vocabulary of science in Years 5 and 6. The goals are two-fold; to support primary pupils in their ability to de-code and read science vocabulary with more confidence and skill as well as to support the process of understanding the meaning of the same non-fiction words through mini experiments and subsequent analysis.

From September 2011, the project aims to work in the Isis Partnership in East Oxford and Cowley and the teaching support will be carried out by trained sixth form students as they perform weekly Community Service Organisation (CSO) duties. The work will link with Dr Andrew Chandler-Grevatt, Teaching Fellow from the University of Sussex, who will act as consultant on the project in terms of embedding levelled assessment tasks into classroom learning. Dr Chandler Grevatt has also been at the forefront of developing the Thinking Frames, which enable pupils to structure their scientific explanations by breaking the process down before building it up.

There are four phases:

1. Brainwaves: Listing the important ideas and vocabulary that may be useful.
2. See: Drawing diagrams and pictures that may help with an explanation, using new vocabulary.
3. Think and Sequence: Organising the best ideas into a sensible order.
4. Paragraph: A full explanation of the problem.

The benefits are noticeable with all abilities and instantly. Students become more confident in their ability to write clearly, to express themselves fluently and to share their thoughts with others readily.