Sue Gifford

Making Fractions is an invaluable professional development handbook for classroom teachers and maths leads. It contains engaging practical activities that progress gradually from halves to quarters and beyond. The activities have been trialled with teachers and children, and will help bring fractions and decimals to life.

Making Numbers shares exemplars of good practice drawing on the latest research on using manipulatives to develop understanding of arithmetic. Focusing initially on the teaching of numbers from 1-12, Making Numbers progresses to 200 and beyond, including ideas for teaching partitioning, arrays, and times tables. Making Numbers was written by experts with decades of experience in primary mathematics education, Professor Rose Griffi ths, Dr. Sue Gifford and Dr. Jenni Back, based on their Nuffield Foundation funded research and development project Using Manipulatives in the Foundations of Arithmetic.

Now in its third edition, Mathematics in the Primary School has been updated to reflect recent mathematics curriculum documentation and revised standards for QTS.Key areas include:The role of talk in learning mathsTeacher questioningDevelopment of children’s reasoningCreative engagement with maths Assessment for learning and self assessment Suggested resources for teachers including ICTProviding a coherent set of principles for teaching primary mathematics across the main topics in the curriculum, the authors explore children’s understanding of key areas of mathematics, at reception, infant and junior levels. Important principles and teaching approaches are identified, including the use of calculators and computers, and there is an emphasis on mental mathematics and problem solving supporting key issues raised by the Williams review (2008). Case studies are used throughout to illustrate how different teaching approaches are put into practice and how children respond to them, and there is advice on planning, organisation and assessment of mathematical learning in the classroom.Emphasising the importance of teachers’ own mathematical knowledge and offering clear guidance and practical advice, this book is essential reading for students, NQTs and practising teachers with a focus on primary mathematics.

Now in its third edition, Mathematics in the Primary School has been updated to reflect recent mathematics curriculum documentation and revised standards for QTS.Key areas include:The role of talk in learning mathsTeacher questioningDevelopment of children’s reasoningCreative engagement with maths Assessment for learning and self assessment Suggested resources for teachers including ICTProviding a coherent set of principles for teaching primary mathematics across the main topics in the curriculum, the authors explore children’s understanding of key areas of mathematics, at reception, infant and junior levels. Important principles and teaching approaches are identified, including the use of calculators and computers, and there is an emphasis on mental mathematics and problem solving supporting key issues raised by the Williams review (2008). Case studies are used throughout to illustrate how different teaching approaches are put into practice and how children respond to them, and there is advice on planning, organisation and assessment of mathematical learning in the classroom.Emphasising the importance of teachers’ own mathematical knowledge and offering clear guidance and practical advice, this book is essential reading for students, NQTs and practising teachers with a focus on primary mathematics.

"With freshness, humour and originality, Sue Gifford demonstrates the interactive strategies that are required to teach mathematics to young children. The text is both refreshingly free from conventional wisdom and solidly grounded in recent research on learning and teaching early mathematics.At the same time, it is unfailing in its accuracy in uncovering children's own humour and instinct for subverting 'teacherly' overtures. Given the demonstrated lack of spontaneous mathematics in early childhood setting, this assembled collage of children's own observations, activities and comments is in itself a work of art."Professor Carol Aubrey, Institute of Education, University of Warwick, UK. What are the most important aspects of mathematics for young children to learn?How do children learn mathematics?How can adults best ‘teach’ mathematics to children so young?The book informs practitioners, students and parents about how three– to five-year-olds learn mathematics, and shows them how best to develop enjoyable mathematical learning in early years settings. The book includes a summary of relevant research and considers issues relating to current practice. This book:Establishes principles for teaching mathematics to young childrenTakes into account the way children learn, including social, emotional, physical and cognitive aspectsHelps practitioners find the middle ground between not initiating enough mathematical activity and being too directiveSuggests principles and frameworks for planning and assessment.The book places particular emphasis on adult-initiated, number-focused activities and playful, challenging and sensitive teaching strategies to engage younger children. The strategies are based on research and work with practitioners, and are illustrated by children’s own responses, such as making number jokes. It covers key areas of mathematics, including number, shape and space, measures and problem solving, with appropriate expectations and common difficulties as well as suggested activities.Essential reading for those teaching or preparing to teach mathematics to young children, as well as parents interested in the mathematical education of their children.