Mathematical Departmental Workshops

Topic: Teaching Mixed Ability Mathematics

Overview
As you are reading this it is assumed that you have an interest in teaching mathematics in
heterogeneous (mixed ability) groups. The workshop does not attempt to weigh up the evidence
for or against this approach, though the references should enable you to start to do so. What is
offered is a series of activities that seek to support your teachers in working in this way.

Where are you now?

Ask members of your team to consider the following questions:

Who has experience of teaching mixed-ability classes; when, with which age groups and
for how long?

Where around the school is mixed-ability grouping currently happening?

Is there something we can learn from the teaching strategies used in the areas where
mixed-ability grouping takes place?

Activity 1: Establishing Core Values and Beliefs

There is a substantial body of evidence that suggest that achievement of all students in mathematics is
improved in heterogeneous teaching environments. Other research shows that the majority of
mathematics teachers have a positive attitude to ability grouping. This discussion is to tease out the
values and beliefs that your team hold to enable you to support or challenge them.
Ask your team to consider the two following statements individually before discussing them
together.

Labelling students as successes or failures is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

It is possible to differentiate to meet the needs of all learners in a single classroom.

Activity 2: Where is the mathematics? Exploring open tasks.

Preparation: you may wish to download some copies of the Focused Assessment Materials from
www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications in advance of your meeting.
Explain to your team that this activity is built from the following probing question from the level 5
booklet (DCSF: Assessing Pupils Progress Focused Assessment Materials Level 5 00201-2009PDFEN-02), under the criterion Understand simple ratio. Say you are going to start with this question,
and explore the mathematics that may possibly lead from it.
The ratio of boys to girls at a school club is 1:2. Could there be ten pupils at the club altogether?
Explain your answer.
Ask your team to work on the question in pairs / threes. When they complete the initial question,
ask them to consider what further related questions could be asked. How could this question be
extended? Resource Sheet 1 includes some suggestions.
Conclude the first part of this activity by discussing these questions:

How is understanding of ratio enhanced by exploring this question in this way?

How does this approach fit with mixed ability grouping?

What strategies could you use to ensure that students who may have difficulties
understanding ratio can get started with this activity?

How would we organise our classrooms to enable all students to succeed with this activity?

Now ask your team to work in their pairs to explore one or two more probing questions - to see how
they may extend them. It is important to build their experience of thinking through mathematical
activities in this way, as one way to enable effective differentiation of the tasks. You may choose
others from the Focussed Assessment materials you have downloaded, or there are some here to
think about.

How do you know the point (3, 6) is not on the line y = x + 2?

How would you convince somebody that the exterior angles of a polygon add up to 360?

How would you justify that 4 1 5 = 20? How would you use this to work out 4 2 5 ? Do
you expect the answer to be greater or less than 20? Why?
For further sources of ideas for setting open questions, see

http://nrich.maths.org/public/

Glosmaths levelopedias from www.kangaroomaths.com or www.glosmaths.org

Activity 3: Developing a model of instruction

In developing a model of instruction for your students there are two key issues that should be considered:

How should the students be grouped?

How should the work be differentiated?

Various models have been offered to support teaching in heterogeneous groups. Split your team
into three groups and ask them to spend twenty minutes researching one of the following. One link
to a web resource is provided for each, though there will be other resources available.

Complex instruction: http://cgi.stanford.edu/group/pci/cgi-bin/site.cgi

Tiered instruction:
http://www.eht.k12.nj.us/~jonesj/Differentiated%20Instruction/Tiered%20Instruction.htm

Guided group work: http://tinyurl.com/yjxoktm the overview linked from this page is a
good place to start.
Each group should then report back to the team.

Reflection
Share the quotation from the article by Gregory (1984) (Resource Sheet 2).

Has our thinking about teaching and learning mathematics changed? In what ways?
Has our thinking about mixed-ability grouping changed? In what ways?

Implementing and continuing to learn

Ask members of your team to consider what they might aim to try out

Tomorrow

Next Week

Next Year
You can use Resource Sheet 3 to record this if it is helpful to do so.

Further reading
Boaler, J., Wiliam, D., Brown, M., (2000), Students Experiences of Ability Groupingdisaffection,
polarisation and the construction of failure, British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 26, No. 5, pp.
631-648.
The authors report on affects of ability grouping practices on the achievement and enjoyment of
mathematics of students in six schools.
Boaler, J., (2009), The Elephant in the Classroom; Helping Children Learn and Love Maths UK edition,
Souvenir Press, London.

Prof. Boaler writes on a variety of topics that influence childrens interest and achievement in
mathematics.
DCSF: Focused Assessment Materials Level 5 00201-2009PDF-EN-02; Levels 4 8 available from
www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications; www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk;
Part of the suite of materials that support APP; it provides a bank of probing questions.
Kutnick, P., Hodgkinson, S., Sebba, J., Humphreys, S., Galton, M., Steward, S., Blatchford, P., Baines, E.,
(2006), Pupil Grouping Strategies and Practices at Key Stage 3: Case Studies of 24 Schools in England,
DfES, Nottingham.
A DfES commissioned report on the effects of pupil grouping in schools with a substantial literature
review and comparative case studies.
Gregory, R. P.(1984) 'Streaming, Setting and Mixed Ability Grouping in Primary and Secondary
Schools: some research findings', Educational Studies, 10: 3, 209 226.
A review of the research as existed in 1984 looking at the advantages and disadvantages of ability
grouping.
McNamara, S. and Moreton, G., (1997), Understanding Differentiation A Teachers Guide, David
Fulton, London.
Focuses on using collaborative group work as a methodology to differentiate work.
Prestage, S. and Perks, P. (2001) Adapting and Extending Secondary Mathematics Activities - New Tasks
for Old London, David Fulton Publishers.
The authors examine how resources can be used in more stimulating and interesting ways.
Tomlinson, C.A., (2001), How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed Ability Classrooms- 2nd Edition,
ASCD, Alexandria.
A key writer on differentiation who is very influential in other countries.