What is the trouble with maths?
This book offers important insights into the often confusing world of numeracy. By looking at learning difficulties in maths from several perspectives, including the language of mathematics, thinking styles and the demands of individual topics, Steve Chinn delivers a comprehensive text that will become an essential classroom companion to anyone who uses it.
Whilst considering every aspect concerning maths and learning, this book provides a perfect balance of advice, guidance and practical activities, enabling the reader to:
* develop flexible thinking skills
* use alternative strategies for pupils to access basic facts
* implement effective preventative measures before disaffection sets in
* recognise maths anxiety and tackle self-esteem problems
* make accurate ongoing assessments of pupils' difficulties
* design informal diagnostic procedures.
With useful features such as checklists for the evaluation of books, software and test materials, this book highlights essential skills that will allow teachers to diagnose and address maths difficulties and improve standards. It draws on tried and tested methods based on the author's years of classroom experience to provide an authoritative yet highly accessible one-stop classroom resource for all teachers, classroom assistants, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators, student teachers, and learning support staff.
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction: Learning Difficulties in Maths 2. Factors that Affect Learning 3. What the Curriculum Asks Pupils to Do and When Difficulties May Occur 4. Thinking Style in Maths 5. Developmental Perspectives 6. The Language of Maths 7. Anxiety and Attributions 8. The Inconsistencies of Maths 9. Assessment and Diagnosis 10. The Nasties: Long Division and Fractions
Review :
'A well structured book which is accessible to parents, teachers and teaching assistants, or by those wanting to enhance their skills by completing further qualifications. A book worth saving shelf space for.' - Special Needs Information Press
'The book provides invaluable help to all those involved in the delivery and support of numeracy, be they parents, teachers, classroom assistants, SEN coordinators, learning support tutors... It may not be the last word on the subject, but it will certainly be an important first place to look'.- Steve Bishop, mathematics lecturer, City of Bristol College
'This is a very useful (and readable) book written for teachers whose pupils have difficulties with maths which I readily recommened.' - Sarah Wedderburn, Hornsby International Dyslexia Centre
'Overall, the book provides invaluable help to all those involved in the delivery and support of numeracy, be they parents, teachers, classroom assistants, SEN coordinators, learning support tutors... It may not be the last word on the subject, but it will certainly be an important first place to look'.- Association of Teachers of Mathematics
'It moves away from the search for the perfect maths scheme and much more towards individual responses, looking at the reasons why children might arrive at a different answer and the steps that can be taken to prevent difficulties arising. You wouldn't have to be a learning support specialist to pick-up on its user-friendly strategies' - Times Educational Supplement
'This book is essential reading for anyone involved in teaching maths.' - Dyslexia Contact
'Picking up a new book from Steve Chin is like getting the latest novel from a favourite writer ... Steve does not disappoint ... Does it work? - it most certainly does ... Given the scale of children with numeracy difficulties, this may be where Chinn can be most effective in influencing the teaching of a subject which he clearly loves dearly.' - Dyslexia Review
Winner of the NASEN/TES Book Award
'Thought provoking, fresh, accessible and very thorough with content that hauls the reader in ... You wouldn't have to be a learning support specialist to pick up on its user-friendly strategies.' - Judges of the NASEN/TES Book Award
'Each child/adult, dyslexic or not, deserves to have their individual needs addressed and Steve Chinn's book can help immeasurably in the achieving of this goal ... I thoroughly recommend this book for the benefit of all teachers and students of mathematics.' - Education Today
'It moves away from the search for the perfect maths scheme and much more towards individual responses, looking at the reasons why children might arrive at a different answer and the steps that can be taken to prevent difficulties arising. You wouldn't have to be a learning support specialist to pick-up on its user-friendly strategies' - Times Educational Supplement
