Primary National Strategy Mathematics 3 plus 2 day course: Session 3

© Crown copyright 2003 Primary National Strategy Slide 3.1 Objectives To review progression in division in Years 4, 5 and 6 To analyse test questions on division as an aid to assessment To consider the errors that pupils may make with division and the implications for teaching

© Crown copyright 2003 Primary National Strategy Slide 3.2 Discussion point 1 What are the things that pupils need to know and be able to do before they move on to division calculations that extend beyond ‘tables facts’?

© Crown copyright 2003 Primary National Strategy Slide 3.3 TASK: Pupils’ errors with division Look at each error and consider its nature. Is it caused by: –a careless slip (e.g. a division fact recalled incorrectly)? –basic misunderstanding of place value? –incorrect or inappropriate application of a method? –another reason? Annotate each example with your analysis.

© Crown copyright 2003 Primary National Strategy Slide 3.4 TASK: Pupils’ errors with division Take one of the errors. What could you do about it as a teacher: –to avoid the error happening in the first place? –to model and explain the correct approach? If you have time, repeat with another error.

© Crown copyright 2003 Primary National Strategy Slide 3.5 Summary Analyse each error and think about its possible cause – don’t simply re-teach the method Draw careless slips to a pupil’s attention and encourage the pupil to learn arithmetical facts ‘by heart’ Tackle misunderstanding of place value by the use of place value boards, multibase blocks and calculators to emphasise that when multiplying and dividing a number by a power of 10 the digits move to the left or right (see the Framework, section 6, pages 6 and 7)

© Crown copyright 2003 Primary National Strategy Slide 3.6 Summary Misapplication of a written method of division may be caused by: –lack of understanding of partitioning and the principle of the distributive law of division – more work on informal recording of mental methods of division is needed –being moved on too quickly, without a thorough grasp of all the necessary prerequisite skills If remainders are misinterpreted, model the process on a number line