Your Commencement Maths Lesson Amongst Twelvemonth 7

A Year 7's first ever maths lesson inwards secondary schoolhouse is rather daunting. For both the students and the teacher. As this is the fourth dimension of twelvemonth when many maths teachers volition travel planning those initiative of all lessons, I thought it powerfulness travel helpful to advise about ideas.

With a novel Year seven class, the initiative of all lesson is non but almost setting expectations almost demeanor as well as the like, it’s also almost getting your students excited almost maths as well as edifice their confidence. It’s almost helping them to rapidly settle into their novel environment. And - on a to a greater extent than practical Federal Reserve annotation - it’s almost learning their names.

First I’ll speak yous through my suggestions for that initiative of all Year seven lesson, thence I’ll portion about ideas suggested past times other teachers. And I’d dearest to withdraw heed your ideas too.

A release lesson
As students arrive, greet them at your classroom door as well as manus them a carte du jour or sticker amongst a release on it. I advise the numbers 1 – xxx but whatever numbers volition work. While they notice their seats, an educational activity on the board tells them to holler back almost the properties of their release (bear inwards heed they powerfulness non know the important of the word belongings inwards this context).

Tell students to stand upward up as well as concord their carte du jour upward if they convey a multiple of 5. Each pupil standing upward says their holler as well as release inwards plough (one of the benefits of this activeness is that yous - as well as their classmates - acquire their names). Ask i of the students standing to define the word multiple.

Now produce the same for diverse release properties eg ‘stand upward if yous convey a portion of 24’, ‘stand upward if yous convey a prime number’, ‘stand upward if yous convey a foursquare number’ as well as thence on. There are diverse give-and-take points relating to the definitions, such equally whether i is a prime number. You acquire the idea. Try to adjust it thence each pupil stands upward at to the lowest degree twice, to assist amongst the holler learning.

There’s diverse other activities yous could purpose amongst students when they convey release cards. Perhaps acquire the pupils amongst numbers three – 8 to line of piece of occupation upward at the front end as well as enquire the flat to holler the polygons amongst each release of sides. It volition travel encouraging if yous start the twelvemonth past times letting students portion amongst yous about of the maths they already know. But yous could also give them a gustatory modality of the exciting novel maths to come. For event yous could enquire the students amongst the cards 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, thirteen as well as 21 to stand upward inwards companionship at the front end of the flat as well as enquire their classmates to location the blueprint (add an extra 1 at the beginning!). It's unlikely they would convey seen Fibonacci before.

Sticking amongst the release theme, yous could try:

• this Number Teams game from Teachit Maths 
• these 4 interactive whiteboard tasks, from MathsPad. 
• These number riddles from Transum. 

30 Maths Starters - Puzzle 2

If yous desire the flat to settle amongst about private or duo activities, endeavor about of these '30 Maths Starters'. I advise activities 2 as well as nine.

And how almost a squeamish game of Fizz Buzz to terminate the lesson?

If yous convey administrative bits to produce amongst the class, such equally handing out books, they could hold off until side past times side lesson.

More ideas
Here are a few ideas I've constitute online:

• Try these Ordering past times Numbers activities past times Frank Tapson 
• I similar 'Back to School' past times Transum
• Suffolk Maths suggests lots of proficient ideas for a Year seven transition lesson. This includes 'Stand Up' - which is similar to my suggestion. Whenever I holler back I've been creative as well as master copy I notice that someone's already thought of the same ideas! :)

While looking for these lessons, I constitute this 'Moving on inwards my Mathematics - Year six to Year 7' booklet that yous may travel interested in.

Craig Barton's blog post on transition inwards secondary maths is a must-read for novel Year seven teachers. I know that my Key Stage three teaching would travel improved if I knew to a greater extent than almost what children encompass at principal school.

And finally, here's about to a greater extent than ideas for learning names!

A level
I promise that’s been helpful. Please comment if yous convey your ain ideas to share. My side past times side post service volition travel almost the initiative of all Year 12 lesson of the year.

Thoughts On Instruction Fractions

Fraction misconceptions - MathsPad

Yuvraj (@YuviLite) asked me to write a post nearly teaching fraction addition. I similar a challenge! Fractions are notoriously hard to teach, riddled amongst misconceptions together with crucial to acquire right. If I were to endure thorough on this topic, I’d demand to create a hell of a lot of research together with write a dissertation length weblog post.

I for certain haven't been that rigorous, but I convey establish a few ideas. First read what Yuvraj has written nearly difficulties inwards teaching fractions, thence convey a expect at my ideas at the end.


When I listen students utter the phrase, ‘uh no non fractions’ a minor vocalization buried deep inwards my subconscious feels the same thing. Fractions is 1 of those topics which seems to endure on the system of function for EVERY twelvemonth together with yet in that place are nevertheless thence many students who are befuddled past times them together with this is 1 of the reasons I convey been thinking nearly how I learn the topic.

I am a instructor who believes inwards developing agreement together with non exactly only reducing mathematics to a serial of procedures. I convey ever thought this together with it was drummed into me on my PGCE together with Masters. Yet fractions has brought me to a crossroads. Before I tell you lot why, allow us expect at dissimilar strategies of teaching the add-on together with subtraction of fractions. 

The Cross Multiplying (Butterfly Method). This is the 1 I was taught at school. I had no agreement of why it worked but it got me the correct respond together with at that historic current that is all I cared about. To add together 2 thirds together with 3 quarters nosotros would multiply the denominators together thence cross multiply the numerators and denominators as shown below.

The Grid Method. I of late discovered this choice procedural method. Draw a grid equally shown below. The kickoff fraction is written on the overstep together with the minute along the side. A plus sign is set inwards the kickoff box equally this is the functioning nosotros desire to behave out. We set the products of the other numbers into the grid. We thence depict around the highlighted boxes together with this would give us our numerator, inwards this instance 8 + ix = 17. The white box would endure our denominator.

Fraction Strips. In NixTheTricks, the purpose of fractions strips is advocated to learn the add-on together with subtraction of fractions. For illustration to add together a one-half together with a quarter we would start amongst visual representations equally shown below.

When nosotros set the one-half together with quarter together nosotros can't limited this equally a unmarried fraction without cutting the pieces into equal parts (quarters inwards this case). The thought hither is that the agreement of a mutual denominator is built upward together with linked to the method for adding fractions.

Paper Folding. This method is from Mike Ollerton’s first-class ‘Getting The Buggers To Add Up’ - read the explanation here (or purchase the book!). 

Fraction Wall. I convey also seen teachers purpose fraction walls to aid students equally a method of identifying equivalent fractions. Some people purpose this or shapes to acquire the thought of equivalent fractions across.

My Dilemma
I convey ever gone downwards the conceptual route. I convey championed the conceptual route, until I got to algebraic fractions. The conceptual route ever seems to Pb dorsum to the to a greater extent than procedural route, especially for fractions where the denominators are 2 dissimilar prime numbers, together with for algebraic fractions. If students are to a greater extent than used to the procedural route, they should inwards theory endure able to able this physical care for for algebraic fractions.

Which has led me to question: is it worth the hurting of rewiring students who ever seemed to convey heard of the cross multiplication method fifty-fifty earlier they convey reached me (even the Year 7s)? I convey spent many hours struggling amongst folding bits of newspaper together with sharing cakes to embed the thought of equivalent fractions. 

Is it plenty exactly to explicate why the cross multiplication or grid method plant together with thence ensure fluency inwards the skill?


Thanks Yuvraj. I wonder the same thing. In many topics nosotros combat to notice the correct residuum of conceptual agreement vs procedural methods. Us pitiful maths teachers are forever fretting nearly it.

My preferred procedural method, for both numerical together with algebraic fractions, is the no-frills version (find the lowest mutual multiple of the 2 denominators, thence convert both fractions to equivalent fractions amongst that denominator, thence add together the numerators). It plant for me, but I learn high powerfulness pupils thence I convey a relatively slow life.

Now for a few teaching ideas. I’m non trying to solve the world’s fraction problems, but I promise you lot may notice some interesting activities hither for your fractions lessons.

Don Steward is a Genius
subtracting fractions activity inwards which students expect at the diagram below together with figure out what's going on. As Mr Steward says, this gives the instructor fourth dimension to drinkable their tea! It's a genuinely clear means to explicate fraction subtraction using mutual denominators.

Misconceptions together with Assessment
This blog has some bright ideas for identifying fraction misconceptions which powerfulness endure especially helpful when you lot start tackling fractions amongst a Year vii class. For example, the author asked his students to explicate what's incorrect inwards each of the 3 pictures below together with got some interesting responses.

You could thence inquire students to purpose the same shapes together with notice an accurate means to correspond the fractions indicated. Other ideas inwards this weblog include bespeak the students to consummate the sentences 'Fractions are...', 'When you lot add together 2 fractions you lot convey to...' together with 'You purpose fractions when you...'. Or fifty-fifty inquire pupils to write downwards 'Everything I Know nearly Fractions' together with write a listing of what they'd similar to learn. These activities volition aid you lot create upward one's heed your starting dot inwards Year 7. The blog is good worth a read.

Manipulatives together with Visual Aids
Yuvraj already touched on visual aids. I recollect beingness told during my PGCE that I only must purpose Cuisenaire Rods, but non genuinely having a clue what to create amongst them. There's whole books written nearly this! I establish explanations here together with here - the method seems rather overcomplicated. But if they appeal to you, thence Nrich provides this online tool for demonstrating Cuisenaire Rods on the Interactive Whiteboard.

This website has a lot of proficient materials on fractions together with visual aids, including downloadable fraction circles.

‘Number 1 inwards disguise’
Look at the 'NOID' poster below. Yes, it is quite ridiculous. But it’s really slow to follow the thinking hither together with I wonder if this explanation (or similar) would aid prepare students' understanding. If you’re looking something a trivial less NOIDy for teaching improper fractions thence this weblog post has some first-class ideas using manipulatives.

From cindywhitebcms.blogspot.com

Division
'Ours is non to argue why, ours is but to inverse together with multiply'. This made me express joy because I've never attempted to explicate fraction sectionalization to my pupils beyond the 'KFC' dominion (keep, flip, change). Don Steward has written an first-class post nearly ways to explicate why it plant - this one from moveitmaththesource.com especially appealed to me. I'll leave of absence along this inwards my dorsum steal inwards instance ever asked the question.

Final thoughts
I'm afraid I don't convey the respond to how best to prepare conceptual understanding, but in that place may endure some ideas hither that you lot haven't seen before. In price of resources, there's tonnes of worksheets, games together with activities online - run into my resources library for some recommendations. For to a greater extent than teaching ideas, here's some farther reading:

• The Guardian's 'How to learn fractions' 
• Bruno Reddy's 'With Fractions, Common-Core Training Goes Beyond 'Invert together with Multiply''
• James Tanton's 'Troublesome Fractions'.

Thank you lot thence much to Yuvraj for his helpful input to this post. Comments together with tweets would endure much appreciated - we'd beloved to listen your ideas.

Fraction hopscotch inwards the maths corridor - from cisdmathmusings.blogspot.com

5 Maths Gems #2

Last calendar week I promised I'd write a weekly postal service summarising the novel teaching ideas I'd seen on Twitter. Afterwards I worried whether I'd direct maintain plenty cloth to write about, but this calendar week I wasn't disappointed. Plenty of ideas were shared - here's v of them.

1. Revision Whispers. As I've said before, I'm ever on the await out for engaging ideas for revision lessons. Billy Adamson (@Billyads_47) shared this fantastic sentiment 'Maths Whispers!' inwards which pupils are given a fact or formula to communicate amongst their classmates, 'Chinese Whispers' style. Billy says that when his students were walking downwards the corridor afterwards, they were excitedly talking most what each disceptation was initially too what it became. I dearest this idea. It would operate good inwards other subjects too. Check out Billy's resources on TES. Here's a variation I powerfulness endeavor for Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 plane revision: carve upwards the degree into teams. The teams shape lines from the dorsum of the classroom upwards to the board. The pupils at the dorsum are given a message to read. Here's an representative from S2:

All teams direct maintain the same message. The message is simultaneously passed along the lines inwards whispers. The finally pupil inwards each describe writes the message on the board. The most accurate squad wins! Then shuffle the students too endeavor some other message. My A plane revision cards direct maintain plenty of ideas for messages - definitions too formulae would operate well.

2. Post-its. Mr Allan (@mrallanmaths) wrote this blog post most his purpose of post-it notes inwards lessons. He displays questions on boards around his classroom. Students (in pairs or teams) operate their agency around the room answering the questions on post-it notes. It's a quick too tardily agency of assessing agreement too finding misconceptions. It's also really engaging, fifty-fifty though the questions are precisely from a textbook. The sentiment originated from a tweet past times Chris McGrane (@ChrisMcGrane84) back inwards January. Shelley Smith (@saxsmith27) successfully tried it out this week.

Speaking of post-it notes, I similar this 'What stuck amongst you?' idea, shared past times @RemindHQ. It could endure a prissy plenary activity ane time a week, or fifty-fifty at the terminate of every lesson.

If you lot desire to a greater extent than post-it banknote teaching ideas too then banking concern jibe out 'fractions weblog post this calendar week I discovered the blog Authentic Inquiry Maths which is total of skillful ideas, similar T-charts for highlighting similarities too differences. Pupils purpose ICT to create their charts too you lot larn a prissy mix of presentation styles, similar the representative below.

Ed Southall's (@edsouthall) tricky maths problems on his website solvemymaths.com are also actually visually appealing too I await forrad to using them to challenge too extend my students adjacent year.

Area employment #2 - solvemymaths.com

Here's some other 'attractive' activity I spotted on Twitter this week. This ane was shared past times Khan Academy (@khanacademy).  It's an engaging activity because it's visually striking, accessible too has a skillful plane of challenge for pupils who've studied Pythagoras' Theorem. Shame I don't direct maintain the budget for colour photocopying!

4. Starting a novel schoolhouse year. With exclusively ii weeks left inwards the summertime holidays, I've started to meet weblog posts most things to practise inwards starting fourth dimension lessons of the schoolhouse year. I wrote a pair myself a few weeks agone - ane on your starting fourth dimension lesson amongst Year 7 too ane on kicking off Year 12.  Here's a few to a greater extent than I've spotted late that are worth a read:

• This 'Deliberate Mistakes, Jo Boaler (@joboaler) talked this calendar week most the value of mistakes inwards ‘Setting upwards Positive Norms inwards Maths Class'. In this document, she suggests that nosotros brand a habit of inviting pupils to the board to portion their conceptual mistakes. She also suggests that pupils crumple a slice of newspaper too throw it at the board - precisely once, inwards a symbolic form of agency - non every fourth dimension they brand a mistake... Though I wonder if that would endure worth trying too, to works life a classroom civilization of ‘everyone makes mistakes’ too to encourage risk-taking. Can you lot imagine if your pupils threw all their mistakes at the board? It powerfulness larn a chip messy. Fun though.
  
  Jo makes a position out of other useful suggestions inwards her article, such equally writing students' skillful questions on posters around the room. She also talks most the importance of valuing depth over speed. Many of my students larn inwards in secondary schoolhouse amongst the impression that it’s of import to practise maths quickly. ‘Beat the clock’ type activities encourage this. What’s the rush?
  
  So, some helpful thoughts from Jo Boaler. Shame most the negative article she wrote this calendar week most maths teaching inwards the UK, but yay to the NCETM for defending us! It’s prissy to know somebody has our backs.
  
  And finally...
  I'll destination off today's postal service amongst 3 recommended reads:
  
  • Interactive Bulletin Boards for Secondary School Mathematics
  • here). By the way, all my weekly Maths Gems posts volition endure filed on this page, which you lot tin give the axe access from the 'Extras' bill of fare on my blog. Thanks for reading.
    
    
    

Open Evening

Open Evening flavor is underway. In this post I desire to portion a few ideas for activities that a Maths Department tin run. Before I produce so, it's helpful to intend virtually the run of Open Evenings.

According to the Good Schools Guide, this is why a bring upwards should attend an Open Evening: "They may non genuinely reverberate twenty-four hr menstruation to twenty-four hr menstruation life at a schoolhouse (this volition travel schoolhouse at its best) but they'll give yous a flavour of what's happening as well as allow yous to soak-up or repel the atmosphere. They are your conduct chances to conduct maintain the upper-hand, acquire a experience for the schoolhouse as well as chat amongst pupils as well as staff. Do take in to a greater extent than than i school, it’s useful to compare as well as contrast. Remember it's non merely schools that select as well as pick out pupils, parents select as well as pick out schools too; thus seize the night!".

Amongst the advice that the Good Schools Guide gives to parents virtually what to produce on the night, nosotros conduct maintain the following:

• Quiz youngsters virtually how much attention they acquire from teachers, whether lessons are fun, noisy, long... Are they allowed to beak inward class? What happens if mortal is beingness a nuisance? 
• Is outstanding piece of work rewarded? Is homework gear upwards (and marked)? 
• What happens if they don’t empathize the piece of work or detect it likewise easy?
• If children are task activities peculiarly inward the center subjects such equally maths, enquire if this is park fodder. The agency a kid responds (or instructor flaps) may travel to a greater extent than telling than the responses they give.

In my experience, it's rare for parents to inquire questions similar these. Nevertheless, it's worth telling staff as well as students that this is the form of affair they may travel asked.

I was rattling interested inward what Mel (blank clock templates as well as offering children the chance to pattern a maths clock. You could conduct maintain a large empty display board available thus they tin pivot upwards their designs.

2. Four Fours
Write the next on a whiteboard or flipchart for the numbers 1 - 20:
4 4 4 4 = 0
4 4 4 4 = 1
4 4 4 4 = 2
4 4 4 4 = 3
etc

Have a pupil helper resultant board pens as well as instructions. Children conduct maintain a acquire at filling inward the operations. They detect this quite challenging. Parents relish it too.

Possible solution - @edfromo

3. Estimation Games
As I mentioned inward my most recent gems post, estimation develops seat out feel as well as employment solving skills. Children could gauge the weight of a large pumpkin, the value of coin inward a appall or the seat out of sweets inward a bowl. Alternatively, convey inward an assortment of circles or rings (plates, saucers, large hula hoops, polo mints) as well as inquire children to estimate, as well as thus measure, the circumferences.

Speaking of circles, children could endeavour to depict a circle freehand, amongst your pupil helpers judging their accuracy. This is rattling a practiced learning chance for your students because the
judging involves circle theorems, thus yous could conduct maintain GCSE students produce the judging equally an extension to their circle theorem lessons.

4. Shapes
@sxpmaths suggests a fun game of human quadrilaterals. In pairs, children conduct maintain to cast diverse quadrilaterals amongst their arms/legs/bodies. 

If yous conduct maintain access to an interactive whiteboard, how virtually the bully game 'Shape Shoot' from flashmaths.co.uk?

Another shape game involves children writing downwards the shout out of a shape on a post-it as well as sticking it to the caput of a pupil helper, who as well as thus has to guess what the shape is using upwards to 10 yes/no questions.

5. Lowest Number Competition

My schoolhouse holds a 'Lowest Number Competition' which ever goes downwards well. Each kid completes the sideslip below as well as puts it inward a sealed box. The adjacent twenty-four hr menstruation nosotros sort though the responses - there's ever lots of 'ones' from children who conduct maintain missed the indicate (or peradventure they've tried to travel clever as well as assumed that no-one else would give such an obvious answer! Worth a try!). The winning seat out is unremarkably inward the belatedly teens or early on 20s. The Maths Department tin also produce a sweepstake on what the winning seat out volition be.

Read this Twitter discussion for more opened upwards eventide action ideas.

Bridging The Gap To A Level

At 7pm on Tuesday seventh Oct I'm hosting a Twitter chat on the topic of bridging the gap from GCSE to AS level. Please bring together inwards using #mathscpdchat. If you lot haven't participated inwards a Twitter chat before, this guide explains what it's all about. I recommend you lot laid up TweetDeck in advance therefore you lot tin sack continue runway of the conversation.

In grooming for this chat, this post service outlines some of the issues that I desire to discuss. First I'll expression at why there's a gap, in addition to then I'll expression at some possible strategies for bridging it. I'm actually keen to hear others' ideas on Tuesday.

1. Why is at that topographic point a gap?

A. The work amongst GCSE grades
Most schools require that students acquire a degree B at GCSE to produce maths at Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level. This yr your AS aeroplane classes volition comprise a mix of students who got anything from 48% to 100% inwards their maths GCSE. This lower jump mightiness surprise you. Yes, students tin sack get less than half of the answers correct in addition to all the same acquire a B. That way a educatee tin sack embark on Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 aeroplane maths amongst absolutely no agreement of algebra, or no thought how to add together 2 fractions without a calculator.

Students are oft 'taught to the test' therefore own got footling conceptual agreement - they tin sack acquire a decent GCSE degree past times learning some tricks in addition to doing lots of do questions. Around 15% of students who attain a B inwards their maths GCSE become onto to convey maths at Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level. The graph below, taken from this 2012 report, shows that of those students who got a B inwards their GCSE, exclusively 20% achieved A* - B at Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level. The bulk got a degree D, E or U. Were those students given the incorrect advice nearly their post-16 options? And why did they non drib maths at the terminate of Year 12? Bear inwards hear that having got a B at GCSE, they would own got expected to attain at to the lowest degree a B at Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level, therefore these students may own got been bitterly disappointed amongst their results.

Maths GCSE also doesn't produce plenty to differentiate at the move past times end. Around 5% of students nationally acquire an A* at GCSE. These students make from those who are incredibly intelligent to those who were well-taught in addition to hard-working. This volition alter - the novel 'A**' degree (Grade 9) volition move awarded to the move past times 3%. When the novel grades come upwards into play from 2017 onwards, I promise to run into schools setting a minimum requirement of Grade vii to produce maths at AS aeroplane (Grades 7, 8 or nine volition move equivalent to today's A* in addition to A). Am I beingness elitist? The novel core maths qualification volition move suitable for others.

The work is that GCSE grades currently produce non give us a clear indication of who is suitable for Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 aeroplane maths in addition to who isn't. I've taught many students who got an Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 or A* at GCSE but went on to acquire a D, E or fifty-fifty a U at AS level. Why did they of a abrupt halt beingness 'really good' at maths?

Last yr I introduced an entrance attempt inwards Year 12 - to a greater extent than on this here. It revealed shocking gaps inwards basic skills in addition to knowledge. Students who got an A* at GCSE could non produce long multiplication! I recommend that all schools produce an entrance attempt for 2 reasons:
1. To position weaker students in addition to intervene amongst extra back upwards from the start.
2. To cope expectations - students who got a skillful degree at GCSE volition move surprised if they acquire a depression grade inwards a basic skills test. They'll realise that they can't coast through the class in addition to volition move motivated to piece of work hard.

Is at that topographic point a instance for setting at Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level? I know some schools that give a maths attempt at the starting fourth dimension of Year 12 in addition to and then pose students into sets.

B. The work amongst GCSE content
I did some analysis of the marks available on concluding year's higher Edexcel GCSE papers. This is what I found:

• Approximately 40% of the questions tested skills that are absolutely essential for AS centre maths eg fractions, algebra, arithmetic, Pythagoras
• Approximately 35% of the questions tested centre maths skills that are taught ane time again at AS aeroplane eg surds, indices, trigonometry, simultaneous equations, inequalities, quadratics in addition to coordinate geometry. 
• Approximately 25% of the questions tested applied topics (eg statistics) or topics that don't come upwards up at Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 aeroplane (eg loci, transformations).

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 educatee tin sack easily acquire a degree B amongst real few centre skills.

I wonder if schools that own got embedded a mastery curriculum from a immature historic catamenia own got managed to eliminate the work of Year eleven students lacking centre skills.

Upcoming reforms volition assist to address the electrical flow problems amongst GCSEs. Until they are implemented, what tin sack nosotros produce amongst our Year 11s to improve laid upwards them for Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level?

There are extra qualifications to see - the Certificate inwards Further Maths has some dandy content similar matrices in addition to functions. Additional Mathematics is a challenging course, especially suitable for students looking to convey Further Maths at Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level. Regardless of whether your move past times students are taking these extra qualifications, produce you lot expression at interesting, non-curricular mathematics amongst them inwards Year 11?

At Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level, students oft fighting amongst the alter inwards the way questions are worded. Perhaps nosotros should start looking at these kinds of questions earlier. For example, the interrogation below is from a C1 newspaper but would move suitable for a GCSE student.

C1 Edexcel May 2013

2. Strategies for bridging the gap
So let's merely convey our electrical flow predicament - students commence their Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 aeroplane maths class totally unprepared. What tin sack nosotros produce to back upwards them? Here's a few ideas in addition to questions.

A. Bridging resources
summer work to do. They also recommend resources that students tin sack usage over summertime to fill upwards inwards whatever noesis gaps - hither are a few examples:

• Head Start to AS Maths (CGP)
• Collins Maths - Bridging GCSE in addition to Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level: Student Book
• CIMT Step-Up to Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Level Maths
• Introduction to Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Level Maths - Maidstone Grammar

In my experience, urging students to produce piece of work during the summertime preceding Year 12 isn't especially effective because students merely don't run into the necessity. I've considered running a 'summer bridge' or transition class inwards the calendar week before term starts. I'd move interested to hear from teachers who produce this.

B. Intervention
At my schoolhouse nosotros run compulsory remedial sessions inwards the Autumn term for students who don't produce good inwards their entrance test. We also offering an optional weekly Help Club to all students all yr round. When I was Key Stage v Coordinator I offered additional back upwards through a student blog. What does your schoolhouse produce to back upwards students who are struggling?

C. Course structure
Does your schoolhouse offering students flexibility over modules? Which applied modules piece of work best? We discovery that M1 is also hard for many of our Year 12s (except those taking Physics) therefore is best tackled inwards Year 13. The planned changes to Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 aeroplane maths volition standardise the course, removing the chemical cistron of choice.

How many hours a calendar week should students pass inwards lessons in addition to doing homework? When my Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 aeroplane teaching hours were cutting from 4.5 to 4 hours a calendar week due to budgetary constraints, my students suffered.

How large are your classes? At my schoolhouse nosotros currently own got xviii - xx students per Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 aeroplane class. I've heard of schools amongst fifty-fifty bigger classes. At Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 aeroplane I retrieve 10 - 12 students per shape is far to a greater extent than effective.

D. Delivery
How produce you lot organise the delivery of the class content? Do 6th shape classes own got to a greater extent than than ane teacher? What lodge produce you lot tackle the modules in?

At the starting fourth dimension of Year 12, how much fourth dimension produce you lot pass re-teaching GCSE topics such every bit algebra, surds, indices in addition to quadratics?

Do you lot own got whatever item strategies for teaching Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 aeroplane lessons? Any item resources?

E. Effort
How produce you lot encourage students to piece of work hard? Do they produce every bit much do every bit they bespeak to? At my schoolhouse nosotros laid out our expectations in addition to outline the back upwards available inwards a student handbook.

My students are given Alps estimates every bit targets to piece of work towards, but these are based purely on GCSE grades in addition to inwards my sentiment (partly for reasons outlined above), they are meaningless without instructor input.

Target setting (source: FFT)

Summary
I've made an infographic to summarise my thoughts in addition to questions nearly the path to Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level. On Tuesday I desire to focus on 2 telephone substitution questions:

1. What structures should nosotros own got inwards position at Key Stage 4 to assist our students laid upwards for Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level?

2. What back upwards tin sack nosotros offering during Year 12 to ensure students hitting the terra firma running in addition to don't autumn behind?

I expression forrad to hearing your ideas. If you lot can't participate inwards Tuesday's chat in addition to then delight portion your ideas inwards the comments subdivision below.

_________________________________________________________

Update: 6/10/14

• @srcav shared his thoughts inwards response to my post service inwards 'A Level Ready?'. 
• @Just_Maths shared 'KS4 to KS5 Transition', which she wrote concluding year. 
• @DrBennison wrote 'Thoughts on Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Level Mathematics in addition to Making the Transition'.
• @nik_d_maths shared 'Why One Hundred Percent is Important' nearly early on testing inwards Year 12

All iv posts comprise lots of skillful ideas in addition to insightful reflections.

Thanks also to @paulsuvs for pointing me inwards the direction of these National Transition Matrices which furnish interesting information nearly the grades achieved at AS level.