KPLI (M) 8.1-8.

TEACHING MODULE 1 1. Title : 2. Time : REMEDIATION AND ENRICHMENT IN MATHEMATICS 5 hours

3. Learning Outcomes : The use of this module by teacher educators should help their student teachers to 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 identify pupils experiencing difficulties learning mathematics diagnose the mathematical difficulties experienced by pupils plan and implement remedial programs that meet the needs of pupils experiencing difficulties learning mathematics identify smart students in mathematics

4. Content And Suggested Activities : 4.1 Identifying Pupils Experiencing Difficulties Effective mathematics teaching requires teachers to evaluate and identify which pupil has learned what has been taught, and also the pupils strengths and weaknesses. The following procedures (not in order of preference) can help in the evaluation and identification : a. b. c. d. e. f. Observations Questioning Interviews Attitude Inventory Samples of pupils work Tests

a. Observations Observations are necessarily selective. It requires planning and practice. As a teacher, it is helpful to plan what you will observe and record on a given day. Suppose you want to observe a pupil in a cooperative group setting. Some questions that might help to focus your observation might be : Does Ramlah jump right in or wait for others to begin ?
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Teaching is very much defined by the context in which it is carried out. To be effective, good judgement - judgement informed by the particularities of the context and grounded on sound educational principles on the part of those engaging in it - cannot be over-emphasised. This brings forth the importance of reflection (see Schon, 1983), of taking a research stance (see Stenhouse, 1967, Elliott, 1991), specifically an action research stance, and of critically examining ones values (see Somekh, 1983) in teaching. Hence, this module should only be used as one source to inform and to develop the teacher educators professional judgement in teaching the topic. It is not intended, and should not be used, to neither replace nor subvert such judgement.

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Is she persistent ? Does the problem interest her ? How is she attempting to arrive at the answer ? Suggested Activities : Have student teachers, working in small groups (i) develop a list of possible questions that could be asked to focus the observation. Then, have them share and discuss their questions with their classmates (ii). view a video recording of a pupil on task. Ask them to observe, record and then have them discuss their observations with their classmates.

b. Questioning Questioning complements and enlightens observations. Some questions that could be asked include : What dont you understand Ramlah ? What does dy/dx mean Ramlah ? How do you get to Step 3 from Step 2 in solving this problem, Ramlah ? Asking good questions is an art that needs to be developed and practiced. Suggested Activities : Have student teachers, working in small groups, view a sample of work done by pupils that contains mistakes. Ask them to develop a list of possible questions that could be asked to help determine the sources of mistakes, and then have them share their questions with their classmates.

c. Interviewing Interviewing combines questioning and observing, usually done with one pupil in a quiet place. It is a powerful way to learn about a pupils thinking. Key factors in a successful interview are establishing rapport with the pupil, accepting response without judging, and encouraging the pupil to talk and explain. Details are important to get insights about a pupils thinking. Before interviewing a pupil, you need a basic plan of what you want to investigate, what questions you will ask, and when and how you will record the information. Suggested Activities : Have student teachers interview each other about how they go about solving a specific mathematics problem, and then discuss on what they have learned from the interview.

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d. Attitude Inventory An attitude inventory used in an informed manner and in tandem with other procedures can provide indications about a pupils attitude. The inventory provided in this module (Appendix 1) measures perseverance (items 1, 4, 8, 10, 16, and 18), willingness (items 2, 3, 5, 14, 15, and 17), and confidence (items 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 19, and 20). e. Samples Of Pupils Work Work samples can include written assignments/homework, projects and other products produced by pupils. Taking a close look at each pupils work can reveal their strengths and weaknesses. Suggested Activities : Have student teachers, working in small groups, view a sample of work done by pupils that contains mistakes. Ask them to determine the possible sources of mistakes, and then have them share their findings with their classmates.

f. Tests Thoughtful, well-constructed and correctly analyzed tests can tell us a lot about pupils. It is important to recognize that alone, they will not give a complete assessment of pupils knowledge, but they can add one more piece to the puzzle. Achievement tests, used in combination with other procedures, can help us identify pupils who are experiencing difficulties learning mathematics. Used this way, achievement tests function like a screen test. Suggested Activities : Have student teachers, working in small groups, view pupils scores on several mathematics achievement test. Have them discuss, decide and share with their classmates on how they screen pupils experiencing difficulties based on test scores.

4.2

Diagnosing Difficulties Experienced By Pupils Having identified pupils experiencing difficulties learning mathematics, the specific nature of the difficulties needs to be diagnosed using one or more of the procedures mentioned earlier or using a specific diagnostic test. Guidelines for diagnosis in mathematics include the following :

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1. Ensure that a pupils apparent lack of the required mathematical understanding/skills is really a lack of such understanding/skills. 2. Remember that each pupil progresses through several stages of development before reaching an adult conceptual level (understanding Piagets and Bruners work can help us appreciate this point). 3. Be open to the fact that as teachers we might inadvertently have contributed to the difficulties experienced by pupils (this brings to bear how important it is that teachers understand Piagets, Bruners and Gardners work, and also Cobbs work on Constructivism ). 4. Dont lose sight of the emotional side of pupils in your diagnosis 5. Be both flexible and patient in piecing together an accurate picture of a pupils thinking. 6. Maintain a climate of acceptance. 7. Distinguish between errors that are random and those that occur more systematically. Diagnostic tests can help distinguish between random and systematic errors. If the errors are systematic, patterns can be detected in the errors made which point to some underlying skills that have not been mastered or to some conceptual understandings that have not been properly grasped (understanding Richard Skemps work on instrumental (also referred to as procedural learning) and relational understanding (also referred to as conceptual learning) is important here) To construct a diagnostic test, 1. identify a particular task/skill pupils are weak in (for example, subtraction involving two digits) 2. identify the subtasks/subskills involved and arranged them in a hierarchy of increasing complexity (understanding the work of Robert Gagne on learning hierarchies can greatly help here an example of a learning hierarchy is attached for reference, see Appendix 2) 3. construct 3 items for each subtasks/subskills identified 4. distribute the items randomly in a test An example of a diagnostic test involving subtraction is attached for reference. (Appendix 3). A diagnostic test should not have a time limit imposed. It is designed to determine a pupils strengths and weaknesses in a particular aspect of mathematics. A pupil who answered incorrectly more than one of the three items that tested a particular subtask/subskill may need remediation on the subtask/subskill concerned. Therefore, it is essential that a teacher carefully analyze responses for each test a pupil completes.

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Suggested Activities : Have student teachers, working in small groups, view the work of pupils that have been screened. Then have them construct an appropriate diagnostic test, and share and discuss with their classmates their work.

Planning And Implementing Remedial Program Planning and implementing remedial program should be difficulties-specific and pupil-specific. The following principles apply in planning and implementing such program : 1. Establish a safe, supportive and accepting atmosphere. Pupils should be supported and encouraged to build their confidence and to raise their selfesteem. Pupils should be actively involved in learning Provide mathematical experiences that are interesting and challenging, but that allow pupil to be successful. Self-confidence results from successful experiences in learning mathematics Record keeping is important. It provides evidence of progress to the teacher and to the pupils (which can help motivate them) as well as enabling the teacher to learn from the teaching strategies that have been tried. Remember that mathematics learning is a developmental process. Pupils learn best when the mathematics they are taught are appropriate for their developmental level and presented in an supportive, enjoyable and interesting way. Mathematics learning should build on previous learning Communication is an integral part of mathematics learning. Teacher-pupil communication is important. An atmosphere that facilitate such communication should be established. Concretizing mathematical concepts and multi-embodiment aid learning mathematics Maintaining and projecting a positive teacher attitude will influence mathematics learning in a positive way Good and interesting questions facilitate mathematics learning.

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Suggested Activities : Have student teachers, working in small groups, view the work of pupils that have been screened. Then, assuming a diagnostic test has been administered, analyzed and a subtask/subskill that requires remediation identified, have them plan an appropriate remedial program, and then share and discuss the program with their classmates.

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4.4

Identifying Smart Students In Mathematics. There are several ways to identify smart students in mathematics. A study by Walton (1961) provided seven questions as the best to ask teacher to aid themselves in identifying smart students. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Who learns easily and rapidly ? Who uses a lot of common sense and practical knowledge? Who retains easily what he has heard? Who knows about many things that other children are unaware of ? Who uses a large numbers of words easily and accurately? Who recognizes relations and comprehends meanings? Who is alert and keenly observant and responds quickly?

Laurence Ridge and Joseph Renulli also provided a clusters of traits that can be used to identify above-average general ability students as listed below.

Accelerated pace of learning; learning earlier and faster. See relationships; readily grasps big ideas. Higher lever of thinking; application and analysis easily accomplished. Verbal fluency; large vocabulary, expresses self well orally and in writing. Extraordinary amount of information. Intuition; easily leaps from problem to solution. Tolerates ambiguity. Achievement and potential have close fit. Master advanced concepts in field of interest.

Suggested Activities: Have students teachers, working in small groups to construct a check list for
identifying smart students in mathematics, share and discuss with their classmates their work.

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