1. A thinking skills approach to learning maths (CAME)
29/04/2019
Very rough prototype

2. Schools implementing cognitive skills in maths saw:
29/04/2019
Schools implementing cognitive skills in maths saw:
over half participating classes achieve larger than expected maths achievement from year 7 to year 8
significantly higher GCSE pass rates in maths than in control schools (0.8 of a GCSE grade higher)
Very rough prototype

3. The impact of setting on pupil outcomes
pupils in low ability sets gained little from CAME lessons despite being taught by experienced CAME teachers
A CAME school with mixed ability classes reported gains for pupils of all abilities
Researchers believed the reason was that higher-ability pupils provide a range of insights that help lower-attaining pupils extend their thinking

4. Evidence of thinking skills developed in maths transferring to other subjects
CAME pupils achieved value-added gains of 0.30 of a grade in science and 0.32 of a grade in English
this may be evidence for transfer of thinking skills from maths to other subjects

5. The Cognitive acceleration in mathematics education (CAME) project
The CAME project:
is based on research and theory about pupils’ thinking
aims to boost mathematical thinking of pupils aged 11 to 14 years and raise their attainment in standard tests

6. The key ideas behind CAME are that:
29/04/2019
The key ideas behind CAME are that:
through collaboration children who are further on in their understanding of a problem can help move other pupils forward too (from Vygotsky)
the teacher’s role is to prompt pupils thinking with questions (mediation)
all adolescents have the potential to achieve in mathematics
Very rough prototype

7. The key stages of a CAME lesson
29/04/2019
The key stages of a CAME lesson
CAME mathematics lessons follow a structure of:
concrete preparation
collaborative learning
whole-class discussion
Very rough prototype

8. Concrete preparation In the opening phase the teacher:
- introduces the task to the whole group
- asks pupils to explain to each other what they think the task is about

9. Collaborative learning
29/04/2019
Collaborative learning
pupils work in pairs or small groups on tasks which challenge pupils’ existing ideas
pupils make notes from discussion for feedback later
The teacher moves around the class observing interaction and prompting with questions when discussion falters
Very rough prototype

10. Whole-class discussion
29/04/2019
Whole-class discussion
The session closes with a whole class discussion in which the teacher:
asks groups to report their ideas
encourages pupils to reflect on their reasoning using probing questions
draw pupils’ attention to key ideas and vocabulary
encourages others to ask questions
Very rough prototype

11. The tasks pupils tackle in a CAME session
29/04/2019
The tasks pupils tackle in a CAME session
In the ‘twigs and leaves’ task pupils describe the pattern relating to the numbers of leaves on some twigs
The teacher then asks pupils to express the pattern in a word equation eg:
The total number of leaves = number of twigs times 3 plus 2 leaves at the trunk
pupils then replace the words by letter symbols, in this case:
L = (3 x t) + 2
Very rough prototype

12. Who were the children in the study?
29/04/2019
Who were the children in the study?
The intervention involved 78 classes of year olds in 12 project schools
Project pupils received 30 CAME lessons (called Thinking Mathematics) over two years
Very rough prototype

13. How was the information gathered?
29/04/2019
How was the information gathered?
Findings are based on:
tests of mathematics understanding at the start of Year 7 and end of Year 8
GCSE results in mathematics, English and science three years later
Very rough prototype

14. How might teachers use this evidence?
29/04/2019
How might teachers use this evidence?
Group discussion was a key element in developing pupils’ thinking skills, and the teacher played an active role in ensuring this happened effectively
In what ways could you support your pupils to listen to each other’s ideas more effectively, and reach a decision together? Could you weave in opportunities to model effective dialogue for them?
Very rough prototype

15. How might leaders use this evidence?
29/04/2019
How might leaders use this evidence?
The CAME approach used a quite specific pattern of delivery – preparation, collaborative task, whole class discussion
How flexible, open to new approaches are teachers in your school? If you were to introduce a new approach like CAME which department or team of teachers is best placed to develop the practice? What scope is there for coaching partnerships to extend the practice?
Very rough prototype

16. 29/04/2019
Find out more
Study reference: Shayer, M and Adhami, M (2007) Fostering cognitive development through the context of mathematics: Results of the CAME project in Educational Studies in Mathematics (2007) Vol. 64, pp
You might like to read a summary of the work of Vygotsky available here:
Very rough prototype