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We're working closely with top examiners to help you get ready for the 2010 changes to GCSE Maths. Read about what to expect from the 2010 changes from examiner Chris Pearce.
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Mathematics GCSE 2010 Specifications
At last the mathematics GCSE specifications for first teaching from 2010 have been approved. For many teachers, the first thing to look at is the new sample papers. How different do they look? What does assessment of the new assessment objectives look like in practice?
In case you need reminding, Assessment Objective 1 (AO1) is “recall and use knowledge” and we are familiar with that idea. That gets half the marks. But what about AO2 (select and apply mathematical methods) and AO3 (interpret and analyse problems) which make up the other 50% of the marks? Some teachers I have spoken to have been worried about the questions focussing on AO2 and AO3 because they are different to the type of question we are used to.
Consider one example, which gave the candidates several charts and asked them to make and justify a decision based on them. One teacher’s initial reaction was “my pupils couldn’t do that; they would not know where to start”. Another said “Five marks for that seems a lot. Normally I can explain to students what each mark will be for but how do I do that with this question?” So teachers may be worried but there is no need to panic. We look at this in a more positive way – as an opportunity rather than a threat. If our pupils “cannot do that” then we will have to teach them how. There are lots of things which they cannot do at the start of key stage 3 which they can do at the end of key stage 4 when they take their GCSE. That is what teaching is all about!
The concern, of course is about how we teach pupils to do that if we have not done so before. Here are some suggestions.
1. Give pupils opportunities to talk about mathematics. Ask them to work in pairs or groups so that they can discuss problems together. Ask them to share their ideas with other pupils. This is more common in other subjects and pupils do like working in that way.
2. Set open tasks which give pupils an element of choice. If you give them a problem based on a real situation then it may not be obvious how to tackle it. Give them a chance to “interpret and analyse” problems so that learn how to do it.
3. Do not rush in with suggestions about the right way to do a task. It can be tempting to make suggestions, particularly if pupils seem to be going up a blind alley, but give them time to find that out for themselves and to make their own decisions about the mathematics to use.
4. Encourage pupils to try things out and not to become anxious about making mistakes. This is part of the process of doing mathematics. Mistakes make a good starting point for discussion
5. Make this a part of your everyday teaching. It is not necessary to plan new units of work to address these new assessment objectives. This is not an extra “add-on”. Try to put opportunities to discuss, analyse and make choices in every lesson.
6. This is a way of doing mathematics that pupils should be familiar with throughout their school career, so that they gradually improve their expertise. Do not wait until key stage 4 before you start.
Chris Pearce
Secondary Teaching and Learning Adviser
Four Oaks Professional Development Centre
The New Maths GCSE
So we are going to have changes to the mathematics GCSE for first teaching from 2010. What exactly will these changes be? The examination boards had a series of meetings last term to publicise their plans and they are having more this term. They are useful but they only paint part of the picture. Let me outline the present state of play.
The exam board specifications are subject to approval by the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA). This is the body responsible for the school curriculum and charged with improving it. The exam boards sent first drafts of their specifications to QCDA in the summer but approval is not likely to be a rubber stamping exercise. There could be considerable changes before the final approved specifications are published in December 2009.
There will be very little change in the subject content and it is reassuring to know that we will be teaching familiar topics. What is different is a greater emphasis on process skills. Look, for example, at the new level descriptors for grade C and grade F and you will see the change of emphasis. Can pupils look at a real life situation or problem and choose appropriate mathematics to tackle it? Can they explain what they have found and relate it to the original problem? For us as teachers it means we should be thinking of applications of the mathematics we are teaching, sharing these with pupils and using them as part of our teaching.
Chris Pearce
Secondary Teaching and Learning Adviser
Four Oaks Professional Development Centre
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