This article reports on Ontario's way of school improvement which focuses less on test-score results and more on engaging teachers and principals. Like the United States, the Canadian province of Ontario has committed itself to reaching key numeric targets: at least 75 percent of 6th graders able to read, write, and do mathematics at the…

This article comes largely from observations made on-the-job while teaching mathematics in a government high school in the ACT. The issues canvassed will be familiar to those who have considered the arguments for and against ability grouping in mathematics education. It is speculative in nature, hinting at a synthesis of opposing views in the…

Mathematics achievement is important in its own right, and is increasingly recognized as crucial to the nation's economy [National Mathematics Panel, 2006. "National Mathematics Advisory Panel: Strengthening Math Education Through Research." Accessed September 29, 2006 from http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/factsheet.html.; National…

In the renewed "Primary Framework for Mathematics" for England, great emphasis is given to calculation and its prerequisites (DfES, 2006). Expectations are increased for calculations and the recall of number facts, with mental calculation owning a higher profile, while progression in written calculation is clarified. The greater focus on…

There is a large gap in higher education attainment between different groups of society, especially along gender, class and ethnic dimensions. Reducing these gaps in attainment has been at the forefront of policy makers, not only in this country but also in most advanced economy with policies ranging from financial support to positive…

New ways of thinking about how language, literacy and numeracy skills are taught has coincided with a fundamental policy change in the vocational education and training sector. A major development has been the integration of literacy, language and numeracy skills into vocational training. The complexity of the issues makes it important to gain a…

In a longitudinal study of children in grades 0-4, gender differences are developing very early in some number domains, but there do not appear to be similar differences showing in the measurement and geometry domains studied. The Early Numeracy Research Project collected data at the beginning and end of each year from over 11,000 children in…

Learning mathematics with understanding is the vision of school mathematics recommended by the National Council of Teachers of School Mathematics (NCTM). In order to design and develop learning environments that promote understanding efficiently, teachers need to be aware of student difficulties in learning mathematics. Drawing from the research…

The Scottish Executive Council is working closely with education authorities, schools, and parents to ensure that all Scotland's children have the opportunities and encouragement to attain high standards in literacy and numeracy. The framework for education that has been put in place through the "Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act…

This document contains the proceedings of the 25th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australia (MERGA) held at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. The focus of this meeting is mathematics education in the South Pacific. Presentations are centered around the topic of numeracy in primary or elementary school.…

This book is about teaching computation in a way that accommodates children who do not learn best with traditional math teaching methods. The teaching approach draws on visual and kinesthetic learning strategies to help all students be math whizzes and provides a comprehensive program for elementary math skills. The concept of place value is…

The purpose of this instructional packet is to inform teachers and parents about children's development of numeracy in the early years of schooling. "I Can Do Maths" questions are in a child-friendly format and require children to write, draw, count, and measure. Two "ezi-guides" are provided to make administration easier. Keeping track of the…

This book offers schools an assessment instrument to identify and help children who under-achieve in early numeracy. The book focuses on the Learning Framework in Number (LFIN) which guides the assessment and teaching. The LFIN consists of 11 key aspects of early number development including identifying the stages of early arithmetical learning,…

This book features a guide to teaching mathematics more effectively. Examining the different ways students acquire mathematical skills, it helps teachers develop flexible teaching methods that suit these varied ways of learning. Common areas of learning difficulty in mathematics and why students fail, ways for teachers to determine gaps in…

There is a new wave going on in the Dutch Adult Education, similar to the ideas of Open Learning Centers in Further Education in Great Britain. The intention of this movement is to structure adult education in a way that it fits everyone. That means: more flexible programs, more individual education, more teacher independent learning, and more…