Chapter 7: Effective

Instructional
Approaches and
Teaching Strategies
for Numeracy

By: Brooke, Brettelle, Tessa, Melissa, Suwannarat, Tyler, Vanessa,

and Julia
Guiding Principles
● Teacher‘s role
- Knowledge, enthusiastic, and positive attitude toward mathematics
● Principle of children’s learning of Mathematics
- need time and a variety of activities
● Nature of Mathematics curriculum
- Master fundamental concept before going higher
● Focus on “Big idea”
- Making connection is a key concept of mathematics.
● Connection between procedural knowledge and conceptual understanding
̄ Children with special needs show the most growth in mathematical understanding when
instruction concurrently addresses both procedural knowledge and conceptual understanding
● Use of concrete materials
̄ Concrete materials provide a context for learning mathematical concepts.
● Ongoing assessment for teaching and learning
̄ Making assessment an integral part of classroom practice is associated with improved student
learning
An Effective Mathematics Learning
Environment
● Focusing on the big ideas of mathematics
● Valuing prior knowledge
● Encouraging connections with everyday life
● Making resources available
● Displaying and encouraging a positive attitude towards mathematics
● Helping children see, hear, and feel mathematics
● Fostering partnerships with senior administrators, teachers, and parents
● Building a community of learners
● Making meaningful home connections
● Creating a balance of shared, guided, and independent learning in a supportive and
stimulating environment
An Effective Mathematics Learning
Environment
Importance of Teaching Through
Problem Solving

● Actively involves students in stimulating activities that present challenges as well as

use a variety of representations (concrete, visual, diagram models) for an in depth
understanding of mathematics
● More than just word problems, they are situations that allow students to explore
concepts, use prior knowledge, gain new knowledge, reason, communicate ideas,
make connections in relevant and engaging contexts
Important Considerations for Teaching
Through Problem Solving

Before giving the students the problem:

➔ The context: is it relevant, engaging, and familiar to students?

➔ Strategies students will need to solve the problem: Are students familiar with at least
one of the possible strategies that can be used to solve the problem?
➔ Groupings: Mixed-ability groupings can support struggling students and challenge
more able students
Important Considerations for Teaching
Through Problem Solving

When presenting the problem:

➔ Using visual prompts and modelling the use of appropriate math language;
➔ Repeating information and instructions several different ways;
➔ Having students restate the problem to ensure that they understand it.
Important Considerations for Teaching
Through Problem Solving

While students are working on the problem:

➔ Working with students individually or in a small group to get them started;

➔ Modelling an efficient problem-solving strategy and then asking students to solve the
problem on their own;
➔ Providing a checklist to help students stay on track;
➔ Using think-aloud to help students reason through the process;
➔ Modelling how students can represent their thinking using graphic organizers, pictures,
lists, concrete materials, procedural writing, or verbal explanations;
➔ How students can best represent the process and solution, and allow for choice.
Important Considerations for Teaching
Through Problem Solving

When reflecting:

➔ Using probing questions to help students communicate their understanding;

➔ Referring to previous problems and contexts to help students make connections;
➔ Using think-aloud and concrete materials to model the thinking process through the
problem-solving stages.
Instructional Approaches

1. Shared Mathematics

2. Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS)

3. Guided Mathematics

4. Independent Mathematics

5. Think-Aloud
Instructional Approaches
Shared Mathematics
Students work in pairs or in small groups,
participating collaboratively in learning
activities.
● provides opportunities for students to
learn from one another
● encourages discussion and sharing of
ideas
● involves students in working
collaboratively to solve a problem or
investigate a mathematical idea.
Peer-assisted learning strategies (PALS)
This is a cooperative instructional approach
that enables students to make connections
with abstract mathematical concepts. It is
useful for helping students:
● understand problems
● communicate mathematical reasoning
● construct meaning
● experience a variety of solutions and
strategies
Instructional Approaches
Guided Mathematics
The teacher models and guides students
through a mathematical skill or concept to:
● reinforce the specific skill or concept
● work on new skills or concepts
required to solve a problem
● introduce a specific process
● model mathematical language,
thinking, and problem solving
Independent Mathematics
Students work independently to focus on
and consolidate their own understanding.
Independent mathematics provides
opportunities for students to:
● develop, consolidate, or apply
strategies or skills on their own
● make choices independently
● work at their own pace and develop
independence, perseverance, and
self-confidence
● demonstrate what they know and can
do
Instructional Approaches

Think A-Loud

One strategy that may be used by teachers during guided mathematics is think-aloud.
Teachers:

● verbalize the thinking and decision- making processes

● demonstrate the questions they would ask themselves
● demonstrate the importance of reflecting on their strategies
● model mathematical language
● monitor student understanding throughout the process
Communication and Mathematics
Learning
BENEFITS OF COMMUNICATION: MATHEMATICAL
REASONING
● Build understanding and consolidate learning
● Ask questions, share ideas, suggest strategies and
explain their reasoning
● Learn to discriminate between effective and less
effective strategies
● Develop oral, written and reading comprehension
skills
 Oral Communication Strategies

1. Think, Pair, Share: language abilities

● Processing information, making connections then expressing
ideas

2. Show and tell: cognitive abilities

● Being able to represent thinking in concrete ways

3. Cooperative problem solving: working memory

● Being able to remember clues to the problem
 Written Communication Strategies

1. Mind mapping: good for all students

● Organize thinking, connect ideas

2. Think, Talk, Write: language abilities

● Processing information, making connections then expressing ideas

3. Graphic Organizers: self-regulation

● Ability to use an organizer, and evaluate effectiveness