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Teaching Curriculum For Teaching Maths

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Part A Effective pedagogy in maths is conveyed in a variety of ways by teachers in the primary classroom. Teachers use and adapt these pedagogies through developing their experience in the classroom, critically reflecting on their lessons and consciously thinking about the different ways in which children best learn maths. Many theorists have discussed and influenced pedagogy in detail through a behaviourist or constructivist approach which can be implemented through the teaching of maths. Behaviourism is a concept which the theorist Skinner drew on. Pollard (2014) explains that behaviourist theory incorporates the role of the teacher as the focus in lessons and pupils are observers, who listen to information and have little interaction …show more content…

This method of thinking relates to a constructivist approach to teaching maths. Piaget was a constructivist theorist and had the belief that learning in school should be demonstrated through experiences and interactions within your surroundings (Fosnot, 2013). Vygotsky, another theorist, went further with his understanding of this, demonstrating social constructivism, with the belief that allowing social interaction with a group of children and adults would enable pupils to develop their learning and allow them to learn from each other’s experiences (Tucker, 2010). This social constructivist approach proposes that group work is therefore essential in allowing children to develop an understanding of aspects in maths. Vygotsky believes in the importance of interaction with other peers to develop learning (Muijs and Reynolds, 2001) and this collaborative learning approach would allow for this. However, Hansen (2011) explains that when children work in small groups they may misunderstand key teaching points and errors may occur in their work. For this not to occur the teacher must assist and observe each maths group effectively to make sure they each understand their work fully. It can also be argued though that to allow for errors in children’s work when working in a group would “encourage children to review their thinking, leading to self-correction” (Anghileri, as cited by Hansen, 2011, p.14). The teacher must therefore be the

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