University of Technology Sydney

013416 Mathematics Teaching Methods 2

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Education: Initial Teacher Education
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): 013415 Mathematics Teaching Methods 1 OR 013047 Mathematics Teaching Methods 1
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 013059 Mathematics Teaching Methods 2 AND 028260 Mathematics Teaching Methods 2

Description

This subject explores how mathematics teaching and curriculum can be organised and managed for effective learning. The subject combines theory with practice to provide students with the skills and understanding required to begin to teach mathematics in a secondary school, and is associated with professional experience. The subject includes study of secondary mathematics syllabuses, lesson planning, approaches to learning and teaching, programming assessment and reporting, and different forms and functions of practical work and its role in learning and teaching mathematics. Double methods students complete Teaching Methods 1 and 2 in each of their specialisations.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a. Analyse syllabus documents to identify the particular concepts and skills learners need to develop
b. Explain mathematical ideas accurately and with clarity including use of suitable language, examples and models
c. Develop teaching materials based on ideas from mathematics education research
d. Plan, present and manage lessons
e. Design learning sequences using relevant mathematics curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge
f. Evaluate and reflect on teaching and its effectiveness
g. Use technology to enhance the teaching of mathematics

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

  • Know secondary school students and how they learn, with an advanced ability to critically evaluate the physical, social and emotional dimensions of learners (1.1)
  • Know the content and how to teach it, demonstrating an advanced knowledge of a teaching program in one or more disciplines to critically evaluate its delivery (1.2)
  • Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning with an advanced knowledge of educational practice, pedagogy, policy, curriculum and systems (1.3)
  • Collaborate with learning designers, analysts and subject matter experts, using effective English communication skills, to design technology-intensive learning resources (6.2)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The subject addresses the following course intended learning outcomes

1. Professional Readiness

1.1 Know students and how they learn, with an advanced ability to critically evaluate the physical, social and emotional dimensions of learners

1.2 Know the content and how to teach it, demonstrating an advanced knowledge of a teaching program in one or more disciplines to critically evaluate its delivery
1.3 Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning with an advanced knowledge of educational practice, pedagogy, policy, curriculum and systems
1.6 Exhibit recent technological pedagogical and content knowledge with creativity and initiative

6. Effective communication

6.3 Are effective communicators, highly skilled in new literacies, able to justify and interpret professional decisions to specialist and non-specialist audiences

Standards addressed in this subject and demonstrated in relation to Taught, Practised and Assessed:

2.2.1 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.

2.3.1 Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.

3.2.1 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.

3.6.1 Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.

Standard 2.2.1 will be taught in the Week 1 lecture, practiced in the Week 1 tutorial and assessed in Assessment task 1 criteria a and c.

Standard 2.3.1 will be taught in the Week 1, 2, 5, and 6 lectures, practiced in the Week 1, 2, 5 and 6 tutorials, and assessed in Assessment task 1 criterion c.

Standard 3.2.1 will be taught in the Week 1, 2, 4, and 5 lectures, practiced in the Week 1, 2, 4, and 5 tutorials, and assessed in Assessment task 1 criteria a and c.

Standard 3.6.1 will be taught in the Week 9 lecture, practiced in the Week 9 tutorial, and assessed in Assessment task 1 criterion d, Assessment task 2 criterion a, and Assessment task 3 criterion b.

Teaching and learning strategies

The teaching/learning strategies employed in this subject will include lecturer input, structured discussion, workshop activities, individual research, lesson presentation by students, evaluation by students of presentations, development of lessons with revision of this in the light of practicum experiences, and assignments which critically examine and apply current thinking in mathematics teaching and learning, as well as using examples from the Mathematics Advanced Syllabus and Preliminary Mathematics General Syllabus (NESA Mathematics Syllabuses). https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/mathematics/

Students will receive ongoing peer and tutor feedback throughout the teaching session.

Students are expected to pro-actively revise their basic mathematics content by accessing resources independently and seeking support as appropriate.

Gaps in knowledge of basic mathematics lead to considerable difficulty with this subject. Therefore, for Assessment Task 2, students will work on four mathematics questions each week to refresh their mathematics content knowledge. Students will be able to revise their content through these questions and then practise the explanation of the solutions to the questions.

Content (topics)

  • Yr 7-10, Mathematics General and Life Skills Mathematics syllabuses: (PA2.1, 2.4, 2.9)
  • Content knowledge;
  • Structure.
  • Lesson planning: (PA2.5)
  • Lesson Structure;
  • Teaching a lesson;
  • Strategies to evaluate teaching program to improve student learning;
  • Reflection on the teaching of the lesson.
  • Working Mathematically: (PA2.1)
  • Inclusion in lesson planning and implementation, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, Special Needs students, Life Skills students;
  • Teaching strategies and approaches.
  • Selection and adaptation of resources: Books; Systemic materials; Multi-media.
  • Selecting and using learning technologies: (PA 3.1-3.14)
  • Using ICT in the classroom;
  • Lesson planning with ICT activities;
  • ICT teaching/learning practices.
  • Literacy in Mathematics: (PA 4.1-4.19)
  • Integrating literacy and numeracy strategies in Mathematics.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Teaching and Learning Sequence

Objective(s):

a, b, c, d, e, f and g

Weight: 40%
Length:

One unit of work (group work) - 1 A4 page overview, plus maximum 1 A4 page per lesson, based on template.

One revision resource (group work) - 1 A4 page equivalent.

One lesson plan using template (individual) - Maximum 4 A4 pages based on template.

One 20 minute presentation (individual).

One self-evaluation (individual) - Maximum 1 A4 page.

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Appropriateness of learning and teaching sequence 10 e 1.3
Suitability of maths content and level of tasks set for students 30 a, c 1.2
Clarity of communication 20 b, d 1.2
Degree of creativity and innovation 20 c, g 6.2
Depth of reflection on the lesson plan and presentation 20 f 1.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Mathematical Content Knowledge

Objective(s):

b and g

Weight: 15%
Length:

Eight sets of four mathematics questions.

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Clarity of mathematical explanation 50 b 1.2
Skill in verifying the correctness of mathematical working without reference to an answer key 50 g 1.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Examination

Objective(s):

b and f

Type: Examination
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 45%
Length:

2 hours

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Accuracy of knowledge and pedagogical practice 50 b 1.2
Application of knowledge about students and learning 50 f 1.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Attendance at workshops is important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the lecturer. An attendance roll will be taken at each workshop. Where possible, students should advise the lecturer in a timely manner if they have some extenuating reason for not being able to attend.

In order to pass the subject, students must achieve 1) an overall grade of 50% or above, and 2) achieve a minimum of 50% on the final examination. 50% on the final examination represents the minimum level of both knowledge of the content teaching and knowledge of effective teaching practice. Students who achieve an overall mark of 50% or above, but fail to achieve 50% or more in the final examination will receive an X grade.

Required texts

Goos, M., Vale, C., & Stillman, G. (2017). Teaching secondary school mathematics, 2nd edition. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

NESA (2012). Mathematics K-10 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/mathematics/mathematics-k-10

NESA (2017). Mathematics Standard Stage 6 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/ 11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics/ mathematics-standard-2017

NESA (2017). Mathematics Advanced Stage 6 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/ 11-12/ stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics/mathematics-advanced-2017

NESA (2017). Mathematics Extension 1 Stage 6 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/ 11-12/ stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics/mathematics-extension-1-2017

References

See readings in weekly schedule.

Other resources

Connected classroom with electronic whiteboard and data projector