An Evaluation Of Good Practice When Teaching Early Mathematical Concepts (EYFS And Year One)
Good practice’ is teachers demonstrating techniques that will bring out academic success from all their children. It has to be beneficial, progressive, and consistent. This is evident in the article by National Association for the Education of Young Children (2010), where it describes the various examples of good practice when teaching early mathematics. Some examples of ‘good practice’ are; “Enhance children’s natural interest in mathematics…build on children’s experience and knowledge…integrate mathematics with other activities and other activities with mathematics…provide ample time, materials and teacher support for children to engage in play…actively introduce mathematical concepts, methods and language through a range of appropriate experiences and teaching strategies”. Good practice in early mathematics is similar to good practice in early language, reading and writing. Both subjects are relatable to the daily tasks that children undertake and participate in everyday life. For example, reading a clock, counting how many red cars a child sees on their journey to school. This is why it is essential that teachers are representing the methods of good practice from the foundation stage in the early years setting, so it works alongside what the children will be doing outside of school.
There are various learning theories based on good practice for teachers to have access to in relation to teaching early mathematics. An example of one of these theories is Study of Early Education and Development (SEED): Good Practice in Early Education. In the report it mentions SEED’s aims and how they will meet them in the Early Years environment. Furthermore, SEED describes the good practice components that can influence curriculum planning “Tailored to individual needs, children’s interests maximised, flexible and responsive, informed by ongoing assessment, grounded in EYFS framework, and differentiated by age and stage of development” DfE (2017, p.24). Tutors should plan each mathematical lesson that they have, and adapt for any last minute changes that may occur “Differentiation should be part of your good inclusive practise. It allows you to accommodate and challenge the range of pupils in your care so that they have the best chance of accessing and developing their learning whatever their age or ability” (Robinson, et al., 2015, p. 79). Being inclusive with curriculum planning is something that teachers must demonstrate regularly, and the end goal should be that all students are achieving successfully.
An additional topic that is vital in the SEED document is; ‘effective leadership’. The key aspects of effective leadership can be listed as follows: “clear vision, values and fosters team working, sound professional knowledge, good relationships with parents fostered, organisation and delegation skills and engagement with the early Years sector” DfE (2017, p.50). Both SEED and FEA Numeracy Report FV share a number of key features; leadership roles – being a key one. “Leadership and management; leader with good knowledge and understanding of maths, develop positive attitude to maths across setting-staff and children and maths weaved in to day to day activities – not an ‘add-on’” (Fair Education Alliance, 2017, p. 46). Educational practitioners should be working cooperatively with the learner’s parents to ensure mathematics is being practised in the school and home environment. “Working together: parents taught how to support children at home – good use of website, learning diaries, journals shared with parents” (Fair Education Alliance, 2017). Having resources for the parents to use in the home setting that mirrors what the child learns at school will boost the learner’s confidence within the subject; this is further supported by “It is important that practitioners are encouraged to work with parents to bring them up to date with methods currently used to teach mathematics” (Williams, 2008, p. 70).
Mathematics is a topic at school that not only students but teachers find it difficult to grasp. In order for students to understand the subject better, teachers must be able to provide resources inside and outside the classroom. “Creating a rich play environment to support PSRN Mathematics does not depend on specific mathematical resources but on children having opportunities to develop mathematical concepts and understanding” (DfCFS, 2009). Within the school environment, there are various mathematical elements on display in the Early Years settings from; numbers on a classroom door, numbers on a keyboard, rulers, phones and calendars. Inside the classroom, educational tutors can create an exciting setting with the mathematical displays using props. The displays should be bright and bold so the children can read and understand it, and most importantly it should be informative. On the other hand, teaching mathematics does not have to be restricted and confined to inside a classroom. Outdoor resources such as a; hopscotch on the floor, snakes and ladders and number grids painted on the floor; provide a mathematical play environment for children at a young age.
Early mathematics has cross-curricular links with early language, reading and writing in the early years and key stage one environment. There are many mathematical fiction books for children to have access to such as; ‘Goldilocks and the three bears’, ‘When a line bends…a shape begins’ by Rhonda Gowler Greene. Many of the fiction books available for children at a young age contain repetition, making it easier to grasp. Early mathematical language is around children from a young age (Williams, 2008) points out “Practitioners’ use of mathematical language in open-ended discussions for example, ‘bigger’, ‘smaller’, ‘fewer’, ‘more’ – to build on these daily experiences in an enabling environment is essential”. This view is supported by Taylor & Harris (2014) who explain, “Mathematics features in the routines of everyday life, such as getting dressed and putting on two socks or laying the table and getting three plates out” . Children are able to; ask for the time, ask how old another person is and play games like ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf?’
The EYFS framework 2017 has seven learning and development. Three prime area; communication and language, physical development, and personal, social and emotional development. There are also four specific areas within the framework; literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design (DfE, 2017). These seven areas individually link to mathematics in their own way, learners need to be able to recite numbers out loud and do mental maths to achieve the communication and language area. Playing games like ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf’ and ‘Get into 2s or 3s’ can help the children with physical development, also checking food content and ingredients when they go family shopping can contribute to this also. The final prime area – personal, social and emotional development – is about feeling confident in mathematics and educators can help with this through good practise.
Literacy and maths have close links together as children will be able to enjoy their favourite childhood books with elements of maths to help them understand the subject better. Understanding maths at a young age will help the children in the future when they learn geography skills; how to read a map or compass. Finally the last specific area is expressive arts and design, maths can be linked into this when children do dance or music lessons, as they have to count the beats or notes of a song.
Mathematics can have a negative connotation amongst teachers due to lack of self-assurance and poor experiences at a young age. “Personal anxiety about mathematics of many primary teachers had a negative impact on their attitudes to mathematics and therefore to their teaching of the subject” (Haylock & Manning, 2014, p. 7). Having good subject knowledge is defined as showing confidence in understanding and being able to teach a specific topic, which is reinforced by (Glazzard, 2016) “Research suggests that good subject knowledge is critical to securing good outcomes for learners”. Personally I think my subject knowledge in mathematics is weak. Robinson, et al (2015), suggests that “Mathematics (often called Numeracy in primary schools) is an area of the curriculum that many find difficult, with issues of confidence and competence”. From a young age in the early years setting, I found maths quite difficult and with many of my peers understanding the subject this lowered my confidence.
In order for me to become a successful teacher, I must be able to identify my strengths and weaknesses in mathematics. My strengths are; ‘engaging learners in mathematics’, ‘number – number and place value’ and ‘creating a ‘maths rich’ indoor environment’. On the other hand, my weaknesses are; number – fractions’, ‘creating a ‘maths rich’ outdoor environment’ and ‘geometry – properties of shapes’. Fractions and geometry are not only included in the 2013 National Curriculum but the Early Learning Goals (ELG) which are based in the (STA, 2016). For me to show confidence in teaching fractions and geometry, I should be reading educational books such as ‘Mathematics explained for primary teachers’ by Dereck Haylock and Ralph Manning which go through the basics of mathematical concepts. As well as being knowledgeable in mathematics, I need to be able to make mathematics enjoyable for future learners. Williams (2008) highlights, “Distinctive features that support high quality mathematical learning include… practitioners’ enthusiasm for understanding of, and confidence in, mathematics”. I should be able to provide resources inside and outside the classroom. Learners from the age of five to seven learn better through play, and as an educational practitioner I must be able to provide a safe play environment for children to learn maths through.
To conclude all teachers should be establishing methods of good practice from the beginning in the early years setting. If good practice is established from early, it will play a positive impact on the learners’ educational future as well as the educators’ ability to teach successfully.