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To develop the application of mathematical vocabulary through play pedagogy
To develop the application of mathematical vocabulary through play pedagogy
Rationale and Aim
Based on observations of children within the school, pupils often lack confidence and do not apply mathematical vocabulary consistently or accurately in different contexts. Staff aim to focus on encouraging correct mathematical vocabulary within play contexts.
Intended impact
Pupils will be exposed to a wide variety of mathematical language and will confidently use correct mathematical vocabulary independently through their play. Staff will feel more confident in providing provocations that enrich children’s learning.
Measurement
To begin the study, class teachers will implement a pre-topic baseline to gather current pupil knowledge and understanding of concept related vocabulary following with a post topic assessment to view progress. This may be in the form of “topic grabs” or through class discussions. The instances of correct mathematical vocabulary will be measured through high quality observations carried out over the course of one week at the start and end of the study.
School Context
At St. Mary’s Primary School we ensure that every child achieves their full potential. We place learning in a real-life context to ensure our pupils develop skills which will enable them to confidently undertake further education and participate effectively in the world of work. We take a holistic approach to every child, ensuring all individual needs are met and that every child is socially and emotionally ready for the future. Children flourish with a positive and resilient growth-mindset. The staff work very hard as a team to create and maintain a positive, nurturing ethos. Every child is encouraged to be an independent, responsible and respectful member of our community. As a Catholic school, our Christian faith permeates all aspects of school life, where everyone is treated with equality, fairness, love and respect. The role and participation of parents in this journey of faith and learning is extremely important. Parents are warmly welcomed into the school to share their skills and expertise to enhance provision for our children. There are opportunities for parents to meet their child’s class teacher throughout the year and an open-door policy where we support parents and invite them to share any worries or concerns they may have.
St Mary’s infant department consists of one level with several separate open bays, some set up as more formal classrooms and others set up as continuous provision. To support the development of play pedagogy, there is 1 teacher/acting deputy head, 1 other class teacher, and 1.5 classroom assistants. Some of the school staff have previously attended training from Deirdre Grogan and have joined the Play Pedagogy in Primary 1 programme from NAC this session 2022-2023.
September - December 2022
September - December 2022
Staff will continue to develop their pedagogical content knowledge by engaging in professional reading including the NAC Numeracy strategy and associated materials such as the pathway to implementation tool.
Staff will introduce mathematical vocabulary through direct teaching experiences.
Direct teaching occurs in blocks alongside blocks of time to play. It is viewed by staff as a separate activity time to help model how to play purposefully. Children need to increase their independence and knowledge of play zones to increase time spent playing.
Children have blocks of time for play in the open area and blocks of time engaging in whole class maths lessons with group activities. Children are using minimal mathematical vocabularly during play, staff aim to model and integrate maths lessons into the play zones more.
January - March 2023
January - March 2023
Teachers set must do tasks that involved mathematical language. Children in P2/3 set up a shop and were given time to explore and organise it. After a few weeks the children began to use money more within the shop setting. The class teacher found that pupils were not using skills accurately and so planned a focus during small group teaching on money skills. Must do tasks were set to encourage correct use of vocabulary and skills. Over time the children became accustomed to using the correct vocabulary and it became more embedded in their play with must do tasks not being required.
To ensure the maths experiences available were engaging and child led, teachers allowed children time to play freely and observed their interests. Maths teaching and must do tasks were then planned within familiar and fun contexts. "It becomes child led through observation of the children not through 'pupil voice' sessions. They just try to please me and don't know what learning could occur." said the P2/3 teacher.
Teachers set up a self service maths resources area to give access to concrete materials such as tape measures, cubes, meter sticks, number squares and number lines, loose parts for counting, rekenreks, ten frames and various familiar maths games such as multiplication games and shut the box. Children are now very familiar with all these resources and access them to support their play.
Provocations were set out that link to maths teaching and children's interests to encourage the children to explore and play with new concepts. The children are excited to see new provocations and explore them independently, recording results on see saw and working collaboratively with peers.
March - June 2023
March - June 2023
When doing GL assessments children were more confident at approaching the maths problems as they were used to playing around with maths during play. There was a visible reduction in the children's anxiety around the questions as they have had more time to explore different strategies. When faced with a formal question the children felt more prepared and less daunted.
When completing written work in class children have more confidence to have a go and know where and when to access concrete materials independently. This has led to a reduction in the use of cubes for some pupils as they only access them when they really need it, using it as an aid rather than a crutch.
Making maths more playful has removed anxiety. For example when learning tables, children are keen to test one another and practice in their free play time. They feel much less pressure in class teaching times as they are used to these games and have had time to explore them independently. Children feel less pressure to perform as they know if it goes wrong it's OK. It's not like a maths lessons where it's marked right or wrong. They work together and support each other in problem solving.
Children are accessing maths through concrete materials and oral work. This has benefitted some children who do not like to write, they have more chances for success and this has built their confidence and thus increased their achievement in maths. Their confidence in written maths has increased as a result.
"Now I feel a lot more relaxed about letting the children go and play freely as I am confident that they are learning. My direct teaching is a lot more focussed because it's a small chunk of the day and the children are keen to come and learn. When doing blocks of play, the children viewed this as choosing time rather than learning, whereas now they see play as a integral part of their learning and are happy to try out skills taught in new contexts. I can work with the children to address misconceptions without them feeling like they are wrong, we are just having a chat during play." said the P2/3 teacher.
Natural links have become apparent through play. For example pattern and symmetry during block play and capacity and measure through water play. Teachers set up a water area with specific resources linked to capacity and volume and used the area to teach maths skills. These were then available to children in the continuous provision and the children led their own explorations of the concepts. This allowed them time to explore and familiarise themselves and teachers could then sensitively interact to move learning forward. Providing these specific resources has increased mathematical vocabulary during play as children have been taught the skills and have free access to the resources.
"Through implementing play plenaries and showing examples of other children's work they have grown in confidence and motivation to complete target jobs for the week. They use the stop watch to time how long they are in the area. Often they achieve additional things to their target which is tracked together as a class through pictures and discussion. Children now know that as long as they are trying to use the resources appropriately they will be celebrated. They are becoming more confident and curious and accepting their own pace." said the P1/2 teacher.
Tell me about your maths learning through play
"We have been measuring stuff we made out of the soft blocks and comparing them." Pupil R
"We had a normal shop, a pet shop, a bank and pizza shop. They are made out of quarters. I bought 2 quarters or a half." Pupil O
"I buy a full pizza and a 3 quarter pizza. B sorts out the money, she's the shop keeper. She puts it on the poster (price list)" Pupil L
"There is different money, there are different things that are different prices." Pupil B
"I have been doing timetables on the whiteboard when I play." pupil S
"I used coins to figure out how much things are, they are all different prices. Some costs less, some costs higher." Pupil R
"When we made movie tickets we had to write the time on them. Mine said 7 o'clock in digital time." Pupil
"I was building with bricks and cushions, we set it up and made a nice corner for the three bears. Daddy bears was bigger and harder. Mummy bears was medium and baby bears was small and just right." pupil D
"Daddy bear had to have the most porridge, mummy has the medium one and baby had the smallest." Pupil S
"I weighed the porridge to see how much. Daddy's had more in, it was heavier. Baby bears was lighter." Pupil C
"We played in the water tray. I did baby bears cup filling daddy's cup. Baby was the tiny and mummy's was medium and daddy was big. We poured it into daddy's cup. I got 16 baby cups to fill daddy's cup. I want to do it again." Pupil L
"We were doing directions, which way to go with BeeBots." Pupil D
"With the BeeBots we learned clockwise, anticlockwise, right and left turn." Pupil R
"We were building a house and measuring the heights with a ruler. We drew it onto paper and then made it." Pupil O
"The maths area helps us with our maths in play based learning. I used the beads with my times tables" Pupil E
"I made symmetry with shapes." Pupil R
"We have been counting smelly socks and look at the even number then sharing it into 2 equal groups." Pupil
"Goldilocks dress cost 5p, that's cheap! Expensive would be £1." Pupil L
" I made an antique shop with mirrors. I think they cost £1000. The cheapest ones were the towels, they were £1" Pupil C
"We were trying to measure how much water it can hold in the water tray. We were seeing how much they weigh too." Pupil V
"We weighed our playdough." Pupil E
"We are getting new books, we put our hands up then we made tally marks to choose" Pupil R
"When I was asking people which game they like more when I was playing, I used tally marks." Pupil D
"I used the tally marks to know how much people and how many chairs I would need. (For the Queens funeral enactment)" Pupil E
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