Thinking mathematically

A teacher of mathematics uses an inquiry approach to learning with her prep students. In introducing the lesson and lesson sequence, she adopts a language-based approach that involves story telling to introduce and reinforce her students' understanding of the concept of 'prediction' and its applicability to mathematics learning. Her students are required through practical tasks to make predications and to test the influence of variables on these. Students' numeracy and literacy skills are developed and reinforced throughout the entire learning activity.

Jindalee State School is a co-educational P–7, government school of over 850 students. It located in the western suburbs of Brisbane. Teachers of mathematics at the school have developed an inquiry approach to teaching. The teacher of the prep class has been using an inquiry approach for three years. Rather than narrowly developing a teaching and learning program within the Mathematics domain, she draws upon other teaching areas such as English to demonstrate concepts and to reinforce learning and understanding relevant to her students' developmental needs.