Natural Maths Services
New to Natural Maths Apps
Our most exciting venture yet - into the world of the iPhone and iPad app and yes we will get around to the Android versions as fast as we can.
Recently we have been watching the younger generation as they interact with games apps. Who could resist getting into apps development after seeing the level of engagement and the speed of learning that they generate. We have also been approached by a few schools who now have at least one class set of tablets asking if we have any quality apps related to the Australian Maths Curriculum they can use.
Our first reaction was to have a look at some of our most popular games to see if they would make good fun and educational apps. We also considered some of the games that we are currently designing to match with the Australian Curriculum. From this we commissioned our first 5 apps which will be available very soon at the apple Store.
Mental Computation
More than quick recall
Understanding and fluency are two of the four proficiency strands identified in the Australian Maths Curriculum. Understanding means more than simply recalling rote-learned facts, it means being able to construct answers efficiently and reliably to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division questions selecting from a wide range of available strategies. Fluency means knowing what operation to select and which strategy to apply.
Mental arithmetic traditionally called for little more than rote-learning and recall of basic facts with little understanding. Mental computation calls for much more. It calls for strategies that can be used to construct rapidly answers to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division questions. It requires thinking skills as well as simple recall.
Interactive Whiteboards
Mental Computation and Problem Solving Strategies
The use of technology in the classroom has increased over the last few years and busy teachers want quality resources to support teaching and learning with the Interactive Whiteboard.
Natural Maths has developed a wide range of resources for IWB use. Standalone products such as the 100 square can be used for:
- mental routines
- spotting patterns in the numbers 1 to 100
- playing games
- explicitly teaching strategies such as the tens strategy for addition and subtraction
- skip counting as the basis of early multiplication.
The Numeracy Block
In the ideal world a teacher would have a one-hour uninterrupted block of time set aside for mathematics. Daily numeracy blocks have been found to foster deep understanding and confidence with mathematics and are helping schools reach new heights in their numeracy attainment.
In the numeracy block hour students have opportunities to hear and to use the language of mathematics. They get to learn and apply maths in ways that are connected to the real world in which they live. Maths makes sense to them as well as helping them to make sense of everyday situations by applying maths to solve problems. They work as a community of learners, discussing, sharing and comparing ideas. They are free to represent ideas in ways that make sense to them as they move toward formalising the maths that they really understand. They also take time to reflect on that learning and use reflection as a feed forward tool.
All of that in one hour? Yes, the structure of the Numeracy Block makes all of that possible.
Problem Solving
Problem solving is one of the four proficiency strands in the Australian Maths Curriculum.
Problem solving strategies need to be explicitly taught, talked about, compared and reflected upon if students are to become adept problem solvers.
Natural Maths has been at the forefront of creating effective materials for problem solving for many years. Recently we have updated our approach to and pedagogy for problem solving to include interactive materials and a revised approach to the Polya model for Problem Solving which we call the STAR model. The STAR model has been well received by students who can make sense of the prompts as well as with teachers who can use the generic question starters to stimulate thinking and problem solving. See below for a full description of the STAR Model which is used throughout the new problem solving series.
