Japan is a world leader for maths.
The TES published a really interesting article about how Japan teaches maths. Follow this link. It appears Japan improved its maths score and held its place near the top of the global rankings. Many readers will have experienced ‘new approaches’, so
what’s different here? Japanese maths lessons are taught through problem solving, with a lot of thinking, reasoning, and working out, but it’s not about solving lots of questions; sometimes they present the solution at the start and challenge students to work out how it was arrived at.
Before we rush to condemn this as yet another strategy that’s been tried and failed, we should look at a needs-attention report comment stating: ‘Leaders do not establish fully apprentices’ learning and support needs, where they have not achieved a qualification at level 2 in English and/or mathematics. Leaders do not ensure that apprentices receive the support they need to improve their mathematics skills, or tailor learning beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship’. Learners need the English and mathematics skills to achieve their goals. That said, what will learners achieve by repeating functional skills resits if, as teachers, we repeat the process that failed them in the first place.
FIN Members – To read the full article, click here.
