Literacy related tasks in a Year 7 mathematics classroom.

OVERVIEW:

I have chosen to investigate how using literacy based tasks connected to a mathematical scheme of work can help improve students’ mathematical understanding. Literacy as a term encompasses a wide range of skills such as reading, writing, comprehension and not all of these are applicable in a mathematics classroom to begin with and those that are may not be applicable all the time. I have therefore chosen to focus on mathematical vocabulary with a particular emphasis on encouraging students to use technical terms to express their thinking.

My investigation was carried out with my Year 7 class. This was an ideal class to choose as the majority of the class started year 7 with a level 3 or lower in mathematics for KS2 which is below the national average. The couple of students who had achieved a level 4 in their KS2 tests had teacher assessments of level 3 which suggested that they may not yet have reached a secure level 4. The investigation was over a short series of lessons that I planned alongside the Head of EAL.

HOW THE RESEARCH WAS CARRIED OUT:

FINDINGS – IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHERS:

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

Author(s):

Kate Morris

Contact information:

kmorris@oxfordspiresacademy.org

Research Role: MLT, academic etc.

Academic

Funding:

University of Oxford, John Fell Fund

Status: proposed, underway, completed

Underway