Support numeracy development
Overview
Who is this unit for?
This unit is for those who provide support for numeracy development. It covers
the support given to pupils to help them develop mathematical skills and use and apply mathematics.
What is this unit about?
This unit is about working under the direction of the teacher to support pupils during whole- class, group and individual learning activities for numeracy development. It involves discussing with the teacher how the learning activities are to be organised, and what your particular role will be, providing the agreed support and giving feedback to the teacher about pupil progress in developing mathematical knowledge, understanding and skills.
This unit contains two elements:
1. Support pupils to develop numeracy skills
2. Support pupils to use and apply mathematics
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Support pupils to develop numeracy skills
P1 clarify and confirm with the teacher your understanding of:
P1.1 the learning activities you will be supporting
P1.2 the teaching and learning objectives of the activities
P1.3 which pupils you will be working with
P1.4 how this will be organised in relation to what the teacher and other pupils will be doing
P2 obtain accurate and up-to-date information about the pupils' current numeracy skills, including any specific learning targets or difficulties
P3 agree the support strategies you will use when working with individual and groups of pupils to develop their numeracy skills
P4 obtain the learning resources needed to implement the agreed learning activities
P5 use the agreed strategies correctly to support development of the pupils' numeracy skills
P6 use praise, commentary and assistance to encourage pupils to stay on task and complete the learning tasks
P7 deal with any difficulties in completing the learning tasks in ways that maintain the pupil’s confidence and self-esteem
P8 monitor progress towards the intended learning outcomes and provide feedback to the pupils in a manner appropriate to their age and achievements
P9 take appropriate action to resolve any problems in supporting pupils during learning activities
P10 provide the teacher with the information needed to maintain pupil records and reports
Support pupils to use and apply mathematics
P11 clarify and confirm your understanding of: P11.1 the learning activity you will be supporting
P11.2 the teaching and learning objectives of the activity
P11.3 which pupils you will be working with
P11.4 how this will be organised in relation to what the teacher and other pupils will be doing
P12 agree the strategies you will use to support pupils in using and applying mathematics
P13 obtain and/or develop learning resources to support the activity
P14 clearly explain the learning task to the pupils involved
P15 encourage the pupils to ask questions and to seek clarification on any aspects of the learning task
P16 provide levels of individual attention, reassurance and help with the learning task as appropriate to pupils' needs
P17 make yourself available and easy for pupils to approach for support when needed
P18 provide support as needed to promote pupils' learning while allowing them time and encouragement to pursue their own lines of enquiry and solve mathematical problems
P19 use praise, commentary and assistance to encourage pupils to stay on task and complete the learning tasks
P20 deal with difficulties in completing the learning task in ways that maintain the pupil's confidence and self-esteem
P21 monitor progress towards the intended learning objectives and provide feedback to the pupils in a manner appropriate to their age and achievements
P22 take appropriate action to resolve any problems in supporting pupils during the learning activities
P23 provide the teacher with the information needed to maintain pupil records and reports
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1 the school policy for mathematics and the age-related expectations of pupils relevant to the age range of the pupils with whom you work
K2 how pupils develop mathematical skills and the factors that promote and hinder effective learning
K3 the teaching and learning objectives of the learning activities you are supporting and the place of these in the teacher's overall teaching programme for mathematics
K4 how to obtain and use information about pupils' current mathematical skills and abilities
K5 strategies for supporting development of mathematical skills and how these relate to different learning needs
K6 the nature of any special educational needs or additional support needs of pupils with whom you work and the implications of these for helping them to develop mathematical knowledge, understanding and skills
K7 the resources used at your school for developing pupils' mathematical skills and how they should be used
K8 how to use praise and constructive feedback to promote pupils' learning
K9 the sorts of questions, problems and tasks that can be used to help pupils in the age-range you work with to use and apply mathematics
K10 the importance of explaining learning tasks clearly and allowing pupils to ask questions and clarify their understanding and how to do this
K11 how to support pupils in pursuing their own lines of enquiry and finding their own solutions to problems
K12 how to maintain pupils' interest, motivation and focus in pursuing lines of enquiry and solving problems
K13 how to monitor and promote pupil participation and progress in developing and using mathematical skills
K14 the sorts of problems that might occur when supporting learning activities and how to deal with these
K15 the importance of working within the boundaries of your role and competence and when you should refer to others
K16 the school procedures for recording and sharing information
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Information
information about a pupil's current skills and abilities may be obtained from:
1. the class or subject teacher
2. written records/reports
3. observation of the pupils
Learning objectives
as defined by the national curriculum for the country in which you work and reflected in the school and teacher's curriculum framework for mathematics
Numeracy
a proficiency which involves confidence and competence with numbers and measures. It requires an understanding of the number system, a repertoire of computational skills and an inclination and ability to solve number problems in a variety of contexts. Numeracy also demands practical understanding of the ways in which information is gathered by counting and measuring, and is presented in graphs, diagrams and tables
Learning resources
materials, equipment (including ICT), software, books and other written materials (e.g. handouts, worksheets), DVDs, etc. that are required to support teaching and learning
Numeracy skills
the skills needed to use and apply mathematics including:
1. counting and understanding number
2. knowing and using number facts
3. calculating
4. understanding shape
5. measuring
6. handling data
Problems
the barriers and hindrances to providing support for pupils during learning activities. Problems may relate to:
1. learning resources, e.g. quantity, quality, suitability or availability
2. the learning environment, e.g. space, comfort, noise level, disruptions
3. the pupils' ability to learn, e.g. attitude to learning, behaviour, selfesteem, concentration
Support strategies
the methods and techniques used to support pupils in developing mathematical knowledge and skills, for example:
1. helping pupils to interpret and follow instructions
2. reminding pupils of teaching points made by the teacher
3. questioning and prompting pupils
4. helping pupils to select and use appropriate mathematical resources,
e.g. number lines, measuring instruments, games, computer software and learning programmes
5. explaining and reinforcing correct use of mathematical vocabulary 6. introducing follow-on tasks to reinforce and extend learning, e.g. problem-solving tasks, mathematical games, puzzles
Using and applying mathematics
problem solving or pursuing a line of enquiry that involves representing ideas using numbers, symbols or diagrams, reasoning and predicting and communicating results, orally or in writing
Links To Other NOS
TDASTL1 Provide support for learning activities
TDASTL2 Support children's development
TDASTL6 Support literacy and numeracy activities
TDASTL18 Support pupils' learning activities
TDASTL33 Provide literacy and numeracy support to enable pupils to access the wider curriculum