ED3MCE4: Mathematics, Children and Education 3

Module code: ED3MCE4

Module provider: Institute of Education

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Mr James Davies, email: james.davies@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module deepens and consolidates students’ understanding of the nature, purpose and leadership of mathematics in the primary school. During this module, students will establish key skills underpinning the role of the subject leader, including working with others, monitoring and evaluation. They will refine their understanding of key issues for teaching and learning mathematics and consider implications for a school mathematics policy. The role of working with parents will make up part of the module. The module also considers the wider role of the subject leader as a member of the school community, working with TAs as well as peers. 

• Evidence-informed Teachers 
• Compassionate Professionals 
• Pedagogically-skilled Practitioners 
• Creative Critical Thinkers 
• Ethical Community Participants 

Module aims: 

• To prepare students for key aspects of the role of the mathematics subject leader 
• To refine understanding of effective primary mathematics pedagogy 
• To gain the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to build a school mathematics policy 
• To prepare students for elements of the role of the subject leader including working with adults with a variety of roles. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Critically evaluate and explain key issues in teaching mathematics, combining their personal view, their professional experience and the research literature to help students become evidence-informed and critically-skilled practitioners 
2. Propose and defend a policy for mathematics teaching in the contemporary political and cultural context, based on a secure evidence base regarding best practice in primary mathematics teaching.  This will support students’ written communication skills that has clarity for all types of audience. 
3. Work with other adults, including teaching assistants and parents to personalize learning and plan for progression.  This will support students’ spoken and written communication skills that has clarity for all types of audience. 
4. Go beyond National Curriculum content in mathematics, teaching from a deep, innovative knowledge-base and sharing current best practice in this subject.

Module content

The role of the mathematics subject leader (F2F) 

• To consider the role of the primary Mathematics Subject Leader (MSL) 

Leadership within the school  

• To consider different leadership styles 
• To consider the benefits and drawbacks to each style 
• To think about what leadership entails 
• To gain an overview of some key ideas in leadership 

Developing a school maths policy 

• To understand the role and nature of primary school mathematics policies (link to assignment) 
• To review and critique example policies (link to assignment) 
• To create and then peer assess a vision and aims statement for a maths policy (link to assignment) 
• This will help to develop students into creative critical thinkers who combine their knowledge of research and context to plan and reflect on their teaching 

Mathematical fluency   

• To consider the Mastery approach to mathematics 
• To consider what is means by “fluency” 
• To compare this with “proficiency” 
• To understand how fluency and proficiency are key components of the maths National Curriculum aims 
• To develop students’ teaching skills to allow them to gain the confidence to make informed, contextualised and intentional decision-making 

Representation and structure in maths 

• To identify what is meant by representation and structure 
• identify why representations and structures are important aspects ofmathematics pedagogy 
• identify how to select appropriate representations for a givenstructure of mathematics 
• To develop students’ teaching skills to allow them to gain the confidence to make informed, contextualised and intentional decision-making 

Monitoring – gaining pupil perspectives  

• To consider ways of finding out about mathematics teaching and learning in your future school 
• To become familiar with key ideas underpinning the use of ‘pupil voice’ strategies 
• To explore different pupil voice methodologies and try out some data analysis 
• This will help to develop students into creative critical thinkers who combine their knowledge of research and context to plan and reflect on their teaching 

Key issues in mathematics teaching and learning – Growth mindset 

• To explore a key issue in mathematics teaching and learning: growth/fixed mindsets;  
• To consider implications for subject leaders 

Key issues in mathematics teaching and learning -parents & homework (F2F) and Teaching assistants 

• To identify key messages from some of the literature around parental involvement in mathematical learning 
• To consider effective homework activities with the potential to enhance learning 
• To develop the skills, knowledge and understanding to plan strategies for increasing parental involvement 
• Liaising with parents and setting homework 
• To understand the role and benefit of TAs 
• To be able to support TAs effectively from a maths perspective 

The module makes reference to relevant and key aspects of the Primary Phase Curriculum and ITT Core Content Framework (CCF) to inform design. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching and learning methods will model effective pedagogical approaches and will include a balance of tutor-led instruction, group discussion, and group and individual practical activities.  Sessions will be interactive in nature building on students’ prior knowledge.  The module requires students to partake in pre-reading activities which link to the taught content.  The module has a Blackboard site with key material for the module. 

Study hours

At least 25 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• There will be an opportunity for students to design a draft maths policy (part 1 of assignment) and for this to be peer-assessed alongside lecturer feedback 
• Formative assessment will also be made through on-going observation of the students’ engagement with and contribution to sessions. 

Reassessment

Additional costs