ASSESSMENT TWO
For this assessment, I have to look at and solve the following questions of a Year 9 NAPLAN Numeracy (non-calculator) test;
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Throughout my primary and high-schooling education, I have always felt confident with my mathematical skills. When seeing I had to complete six questions from a Year 9 NAPLAN Numeracy test I felt fairly confident that my ability in mathematics would allow me to easily answer all six questions. Although I acknowledge that outlining the steps and processes involved in attaining an answer has never been one of my strengths. The six questions that I have to solve will use an array of mathematical skills, this will allow me to identify any areas I find difficult as well as the feelings I express towards these areas. For all questions I
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I was confident that I would eventually be able to obtain the answer but this came to me slower than most of the other questions, which frustrated me. I had to think about what approach I would use, eventually resorting in the use of division and counting. Although my prior mathematical knowledge of knowing that the median is the middle number was of foremost importance in solving this question. The question states that there are 29 results on the given table, thus I decided to divide this number by 2 to get the middle number. As 29 is an odd number, this equated in 14.5. The two halves then add together to equal 1, leaving 14 on either side of the middle number. Thus the number after the 14th is the middle number, this number is the 15th. Then through using my ability of counting I counted from the first number, being 32, through to the 15th number which was 65. This gave me the answer of the median height jumped which was 65cm. This last step I found very hard to explain numerically, thus all the writing in my working
When a teacher from Tryhard high school decides to voice her/he’s distaste about the success of the students from the previous year in mathematics, a few students decide to take matters into their own hand. Using the scores of the previous years they started to analyses the documents and see if the teacher was wrong.
As an employee of County Community College, I teach an Adult Basic Skills Numeracy class. I originally started the academic year with 18 learners, but by April 2015 I had approximately 6 learners per session. Most learners are female, of Afro-Caribbean or African origin and aged between 20 and 50 years. It has been suggested that many learners see numeracy as a male domain (Cemen, 1987; Gutbezahl, 1995; Levine, 1995; Miller et al, 1994) and I have noticed that I teach predominantly female learners who are particularly shy and have low self esteem. They are also full of self doubt and lack confidence in their mathematical ability and some do not see numeracy as a useful subject when compared to literacy. To some it is just a means to an end and not something to learn for the sake of self-improvement.
Joe’s diagnostic assessment started out strong completing the two digit numbers with confidence. Moving on to the three digit numbers cracks in Joe’s understanding started to appear. Joe showed a good understanding of reading, writing and ordering two and three digit numbers. The knowledge of some more, some less and the ability of partitioning two digit numbers were also clear. Joe acknowledged that 36 less 10 is 26 because, “if you take away one bundle you are left with two bundles and six single ones.” The partitioning of the number 36 was achieved by splitting it into 26 and 10. Up until the point of some more, some less in the three digit numbers section Joe was displaying a strong understanding of place
Analysis – The assessment will begin with probing for students’ background knowledge. This will allow me to check if students can use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract multi-digit numbers. This is important because throughout the next lessons, students will extend this knowledge to perform calculations with decimals. Observing and asking questions will allow me to see if students make connections between adding/subtracting whole numbers and adding/subtracting decimals, monitor students’ progress, and make
Although adequately developed, there are significant inconsistencies primarily between her math facts fluency and all others. She can adequately solve mathematical problems ranging from simple addition to complex calculus, demonstrating her ability to apply mathematical knowledge to complete mathematical computations. Notably, she was able to solve problems involving simple addition, subtraction, and multiplication. As the math problems become more difficult, she was less automatic primarily with multiplication and division problems. She is also able to analyze and solve practical math problems presented verbally, demonstrating the ability to apply quantitative reasoning and acquired mathematical knowledge. However, her ability to solve simple fundamental problems using addition, subtraction, and multiplication while under time constraints is significantly more developed. Overall, London’s mathematical fluency, problem-solving, and reasoning skills demonstrate an adequate mathematical
In order to survive the world around us that is fully designed on mathematical notions, young children need to acquire mathematical knowledge. Hence, this aspect when attained effectively places them in the right position to face the distinct real world of mathematics. Therefore, it is essential to acknowledge how these children obtain numeracy skills and their capabilities through the theories of cognitive development presented by many influential theorists. The following essay elaborates a chosen theory of cognitive development in relation to mathematical knowledge with a link to the Australian Curriculum to demonstrate how the document chosen allows for scaffolding of children’s learning for kindergarten students. Also, it demonstrates a comparison of the chosen theory with other theories and an explanation on which theory is best suited to the learning and teaching of math for foundation year students.
Sowder, Judith. “Making sense of numbers in school mathematics” In G. Leinhardt, R. Putnam, & R.A. Hattrup (Eds), Analysis of arithmetic for mathematics teaching (p. 1-51). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. 1995.
Chappell, M.F. & Thompson, D.R. (1999). Modifying our questions to assess students’ thinking. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 4(7), 470-474.
To investigate the notion of numeracy, I approach seven people to give their view of numeracy and how it relates to mathematics. The following is a discussion of two responses I receive from this short survey. I shall briefly discuss their views of numeracy and how it relates to mathematics in the light of the Australian Curriculum as well as the 21st Century Numeracy Model (Goos 2007). Note: see appendix 1 for their responses.
Number sense is one of the most important predictors of later mathematical skill (Jo Van Hoof et al., 2017; Geary, Bailey, & Hoard, 2009; Jordan, Glutting, Ramineni, & Watkins, 2010; Mazzocco, Feigenson, & Halberda, 2011). It is used as an umbrella term that includes several different abilities. The term “number sense” not only includes the ability to subitize and count but to compare and estimate quantities, to use derived fact strategy, to link abstract number knowledge with real world quantities, and to switch between different numerical formats based on context and purpose (Berch, 2005; Gersten, Jordan, & Flojo, 2005; Jordan et al., 2007). For example, a study conducted by Dowker (1998) exemplified the different components of number sense
With the introduction of the structured National Numeracy Strategy in 1999 mathematics began to improve. Research by the House of Commons (2008-9:1) getting better results states that in 2008, 79% of primary aged pupils in key stage 2 (11 year olds) met the Governments expected standards reporting that these results were the best ever recorded. Thus, supporting the notion that the introduction of the strategy had had a positive effect on the teaching and learning of mathematics. But, the report also suggests that vital improvements are still needed to be made, clearly, it suggests that there is still a substantial amount of gaps that need to be filled to enhance the performance of pupils at primary level.
I had to remember the formula for equations, terms and everything that had to do with the numeracy exam. The exam was so hard that my brain couldn’t function properly, I couldn’t remember some of the equations and questions. If I don’t pass the numeracy exam I would have to redo grade six and also do the exams again. I did my literacy exam. It wasn't that hard, I knew what to do and I understood it but for the numeracy exam I couldn’t understand some of the
While numeracy and mathematics are often linked together in similar concepts, they are very different from one another. Mathematics is often the abstract use of numbers, letters in a functional way. While numeracy is basically the concept of applying mathematics in the real world and identifying when and where we are using mathematics. However, even though they do have differences there can be a similarity found, in the primary school mathematics curriculum (Siemon et al, 2015, p.172). Which are the skills we use to understand our number systems, and how numeracy includes the disposition think mathematically.
‘The acquisition of at least basic mathematics skills – commonly referred to as “numeracy” – is vital to the life opportunities and achievements of individ...
Number sense is an evolving concept that is complex to define. Number sense (Berch, 1998) refers to a child's sense of what number means, their variability and flexibility with numbers, and their skill to perform mental mathematics and to look at the world and make associations. Before children enter school most they gain this abstract structure informally through interactions with family. Other children require formal instruction to obtain this skill (Bruer, 1997). Foundational number sense can be viewed as nonverbal versus symbolic (Cirino, 2011).Nonverbal number sense is not sufficient for learning complex mathematic but it is a foundation to learning the symbolic number system. Jordan, Glutting, Dyson, Hassinger-Das &Irwin (2012).