Dave Tout

‘Our strong recommendation is to get creative and put real life contexts front and centre of your lessons, making mathematics relevant, engaging and meaningful…’ Justine Sakurai, Carly Sawatzki and Dave Tout discuss contextualised teaching and learning of mathematics through the exploration of six numeracy contexts, and provide several examples of what this could look like in the classroom.

In today’s article, Dave Tout, Justine Sakurai and Carly Sawatzki discuss numeracy and its relationship with mathematics, and the importance of real-world contexts. They’ll also share a problem-solving cycle to help students develop their skills, and a classroom example of health numeracy, using trampolining as a focus for mathematical investigation.

‘Evidence shows that both young people and adults need to have both sets of skills and knowledge – numeracy and mathematics are different, but mutually beneficial and critical. Hence the critical need to connect the two, and not ignore either.’

In the final instalment of his 10-part series on real-world maths, Dave Tout looks at the role of the teacher as a facilitator and resource person.

‘In an applied, investigative, context-based task, much of the learning and achievement of outcomes occurs during the process of undertaking the task.’

What resources are needed for teaching in context? Dave Tout discusses.

‘You need to plan for what might arise, remembering that the range of skills and abilities of the group is likely to be very wide.’ Dave Tout discusses identifying individual maths skills and targeting lessons.

When connecting maths to the real world, how do you move from a chosen theme or context into something achievable for you and your learners? Dave Tout discusses.

Dave Tout discusses the first stage of connecting maths to the real world – negotiating a theme or context.

Teaching mathematics using a problem solving approach requires preparation if it is going to work. So, how do you go about it? Dave Tout outlines one possible process.