Scaffolding Numeracy in the Middle Years

The Scaffolding Numeracy in the Middle Years 2003-2006 (SNMY) was an Australian Research Council Linkage Project awarded to RMIT University, the Victorian Department of Education and Training and the Tasmanian Education Department from July 2003 to June 2006.

The project investigated the efficacy of a new assessment-guided approach to improving student numeracy outcomes in Years 4 to 8. In particular, it was aimed at identifying and refining a learning and assessment framework for the development of multiplicative thinking at this level using rich assessment tasks.

The project was lead by an expert team at RMIT including:

• Professor Dianne Siemon
• Adjunct Professors John Izard and Max Stephens
• Dr Shelley Dole
• Mrs Margarita Breed
• Ms Jo Virgona

Teachers can use the materials and resources from the project in their classrooms to help scaffold numeracy and develop multiplicative thinking with their students.

User Guide
The user guide is a brief introduction for teachers with instructions on how to use this resource and the associated research in their classroom.

Learning and Assessment Framework
The Learning and Assessment Framework for Multiplicative Thinking (LAF) is a hierarchy of key ideas and strategies related to the development of multiplicative thinking. It is organised into eight zones, from initial explorations with concrete materials through to complex multiplicative structures.

Assessment materials
Teachers can use the assessment materials for multiplicative thinking to score and assess their students. Students can then be located and identified against the Learning and Assessment Framework.

Learning plans
Learning plans were developed by teams of teachers working collaboratively across schools and clusters. They were designed to scaffold student learning from one zone of the Learning and Assessment Framework to the next.

Authentic tasks
Authentic tasks were developed by teachers and students at a school level. They are designed to encourage students to find ways of solving rich mathematical tasks themselves, revealing different knowledge and skill sets.

Project background
Find out about the background to the research project, including why a new assessment-guided approach was developed, how the research was designed, who was involved and how schools and teachers contributed to the development of the resources.

Resource library
Visit the resource library to read or download any of the resource materials, articles and reports from the SNMY research project.