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Activities in class (details)

Looking at these pictures, what did you do in mathematics lessons last year?
Can you pick 3 activities that you feel you did most?
Please order the pictures, putting first what you feel you did most in the lesson.

And

Looking at these pictures, what do you do in mathematics lessons this year?
Can you pick 3 activities that you feel you do most?
Please order the pictures, putting first what you feel you do most in the lesson.

We also asked them to tell us if there was any activity they did not do at all.

Type of activityFormat of answerSummaryDiscussion
Sharing at the boardChoose the three you did most, in orderSome in all years 
Using computers Fairly low reports, rising in year 8 
Writing Most popular choice in all years 
Using calculators Not reported at allWe do not know if this is because calculators are normal tools, not used explicitly, or not available to be used
Discussing in groups Declines throughout projectThis contradicts our observations and reports from teachers that working in groups was the most common activity in the lessons. Maybe it became so normal that it was not seen as worth reporting, but it is more likely that students were noticing a difference from the 'ability group' organisation of their primary schools
Working from textbooks or worksheets The third most popular, but it declines during projectWe learnt that the nature of the task on the sheet varies widely, and that students do not distinguish between kinds of task presented on paper
Listening to the teacher Second most popular choice in all yearsIt should not be assumed from this that teachers were all 'transmissional' - many teachers would spend a long time coordinating students' ideas, leading discussion, explaining mathematical reasons.
Practical mathematics Declined during project, not chosen in year 8 
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