| "The
Success in Numeracy" project was initiated by the Northern
Ireland Steering Group for Numeracy and has included 2 years
actions research into classroom practice in ten schools throughout
Northern Ireland. The report is complemented by a new handbook
and CD-ROM entitled "Ready, Set, Go - Maths" which
contains guidance for teachers on a wide variety of practical
activities and games that will help young children develop
their confidence in the early years of learning. Eunice Pitt,
the report's author has attended all the training sessions
to give delegates a first hand insight in to the project and
to answer any questions that teachers may have.
Speaking today at the presentation in the Seagoe Hotel, Portadown
Eunice said, "In the past, children's perceptions of
their ability to do maths have been established at an early
age. It is very difficult for children who do not experience
success in their early number work to recover in later years.
"The research has confirmed that children learn maths
at different rates and that some may require a little longer
than their peers to develop numeracy skills. However, with
careful teaching in the early years, it is possible to ensure
that all children make progress in number. Indeed, as children
progressed through this project, teachers were able to trace
a steady development in their confidence and in their readiness
to talk about their work.
"The research also found that, while the project focussed
specifically on children who were beginning to experience
difficulty in maths, the recommended approaches have been
beneficial to all children. Therefore the handbook includes
strategies that teachers can put in place to meet specific
learning needs and can adapt to a whole class situation.
"Throughout the research project, teachers found that
it is not only important that children develop confidence
in learning maths but that the approaches used capture the
children's interest and stimulate their enthusiasm."
Esther Ross, Advisor for Mathematics with SELB said "The
SELB have been running awareness sessions over the past few
months for approximately 500 P1 and P2 teachers in the southern
board area. The purpose is to inform teachers of the project
and how they can utilise the suggested skills and activities
back in their classrooms to the benefit of all children. Teachers
have found the sessions both interesting and thought provoking
and I am delighted that so many could participate. All participants
will take support materials consisting of a CD-ROM and game
boards back to their classrooms."
The Northern Ireland Steering Group for Numeracy
· The Northern Ireland Steering Group for Numeracy
was established in May 1998 to coordinate the development
of Numeracy across the five Education and Library Boards.
· The group was required to implement the Department
of Education's Strategy for the Promotion of Literacy and
Numeracy and one of the key elements was to develop guidelines
for the promotion of success in numeracy in Key Stages 1 and
2.
· Consequently, a programme of action research into
making a secure start for pupils in the early years of primary
school was initiated. "Success in Numeracy" is the
outcome of this research.
· "Success in Numeracy" was based in ten
primary schools, two in each education and library board and
including a group of 50 children. The teachers were asked
to meet the needs of these children by implementing and evaluating
a variety of approaches to the teaching of numeracy as part
of their normal teaching responsibilities.
· A handbook that contains the teaching programme,
which evolved during the course of the project, will be provided
for all P1 and P2 teachers at training courses taking place
over the current academic year.
· Some children with numeracy difficulties had other
significant factors affecting them including lack of confidence,
low self-esteem, short span of concentration and poor language
skills
· During this project the children have grown significantly
in independence, confidence and self-esteem and there has
been a clear improvement in their numeracy skills
· Two thirds of all the children in the project had
birthdays between January and June. The teachers felt strongly
that many of these children simply needed a little more time
to mature before embarking on a 'formal' start.
· Central to effective teaching was providing well-planned
practical activities and placing emphasis on the development
of children's use of language.
Eunice Pitt is a specialist in early years learning. She taught
for 16 years and has been an inspector of early years provision
for 18 years. She is the co-author of "Lines of Development
in Primary Mathematics" a source of guidance for classroom
teachers for over 20 years. |
