Pre-requisites

ES911 Primary Mathematics
ED952 Assessment, Evidence and Reporting

Co-requisites

None.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate expert content knowledge in Mathematics.

• Analyse and synthesise information gathered from policy documents and school processes, educational theory and other relevant sources for advancing numeracy learning and teaching in the classroom.

• Critically evaluate technologies used to advance student numeracy.

• Analyse and synthesise numeracy requirements across curriculum, teaching and learning.

• Critically analyse and evaluate current developments in an issue affecting teaching and learning in Mathematics, applying a Christian perspective.

• Demonstrate and apply pedagogical content knowledge, and advanced knowledge and understanding of research on current theory and practice in order to plan and review teaching and learning experiences for highly effective and differentiated teaching in Mathematics.

• Apply expert judgement and specialised knowledge to analyse assessment data from a range of assessments such as formal and informal diagnostic, formative and summative assessment and determine students’ numeracy proficiencies and learning needs in numeracy, and plan differentiated learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics, including students with additional needs and gifted students.

Unit Description

This subject builds on ES911 Primary Mathematics and focuses on developing expert content knowledge in Mathematics as well as pedagogical content knowledge, and the integration of these for developing highly effective teaching strategies relevant to teaching Mathematics.

Current developments in issues impacting upon the teaching of Mathematics and numeracy (such as diverse learning needs including gifted and talented students, whole school mathematics and numeracy programs) will be critically analysed. The unit also covers the impacts of integrating ICT into mathematics and numeracy programs to advance students’ numeracy proficiencies.

The unit enables students to extend their knowledge and skills in the teaching of mathematics and numeracy for the primary years. It develops advanced understanding of assessment and data-analysis for identifying the learning needs of students, including those with additional needs and gifted students. The unit examines current developments for advancing and integrating numeracy in Mathematics and across the curriculum, and also examines examples of policy documents and school processes that focus on advancing numeracy learning and their implications for practice. The unit will engage with educational theory to advance knowledge and skills in developing curriculum, and planning learning experiences and assessment strategies for students with diverse needs in order to improve numeracy proficiencies through the Mathematics discipline as well as across all curriculum areas.

Topics

1. Core elements of mathematical knowledge and competency
2. Educational theory and pedagogies for teaching Mathematics.
3. Research on Hhighly effective teaching strategies in Mathematics.
   i/ Explicit numeracy instruction.
   ii/ Scaffolding and progressing towards proficiency.
   iii/ Mathematical thinking and strategies – problem solving.
4. Issues impacting upon the teaching of mathematics and numeracy, applying a Christian perspective.
5. Integrating numeracy across the curriculum – general thinking skills appropriate to discipline and discipline specific curriculum.
6. Analysing and developing school wide data to identify numeracy proficiencies and learning needs
7. Inclusive education: supporting students with diverse needs in mathematics and numeracy learning

Key Reading:

Goos, M., & O’Sullivan, K.  (2022). Numeracy Across the Curriculum. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Retrieved 27 May. 2025. Retreived from https://oxfordre.com/education/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-15304

This research discusses the significance of numeracy learning for all learning and its importance across the curriculum

Learning Experiences

Response to Research

Using the readings above, write a 300-word blog post on ‘Numeracy as a fundamental component of learning, discourse and critique across the curriculum and how it improves student understanding and engagement within and beyond the mathematics curriculum.’

Topic 3b From modelling to Independence

1. In Groups, PSTs are given a scenario card that specifies:
   - Year level
   - Curriculum content descriptor
   - Numeracy skill in context

PSTs identify:
- The underlying mathematical concepts
- The discipline-specific application

1. PSTs use the “I do - we do - you do” model to plan explicit instruction of the identified mathematical concepts within the context of the subject discipline.

Including:
- mathematical thinking prompts
- General thinking skills
- link to the Australian Curriculum numeracy progression.

1. Micro-teaching opportunity. PSTs choose one group member to be the teacher who teachers the lesson sequence:
   - 2 - 3 minutes per stage of scaffolding
   - include intentional fading of supports

2. Reflect as a group on the process.

Consider:
- Clarity
- Appropriateness of scaffolding and pace of removal.
- Integration of mathematical thinking prompts.

1. Write an individual reflection:
   - how they balance concept and skill teaching.
   - what they learnt about scaffold removal timing

Topic 3c: The importance of Independent Problem-Solving (cc 2.5.4 )

Objective: To help students understand the significance of independent problem-solving, practice teaching skills and develop communication skills. 1) Pair up students and assign each pair a challenging mathematical problem.
2) Each student should first attempt to solve the problem independently.
3) Then, students come together to discuss their solutions and methods.
4) One student teaches the other how they approached and solved the problem, and vice versa.
5) Encourage pairs to develop a joint solution, integrating the best strategies from both.

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Unit offerings

Please note

The Unit Offerings listed above are a guide only and the timetable for any year is the final authority. The College may vary offerings based on demand, regulatory requirements, continual improvement processes or other conditions.

This unit may be available in different modes of delivery i.e. online and face-to-face as listed above. The unit content will not differ between these modes of delivery. There will possibly be a difference in the schedule and/or the prescribed assessment tasks, however both will cover and assess the same content.