TW003
Problem Solving Heuristics in Primary Mathematics / Model Drawing
(3 Hours)

• Uses a wide range of heuristics in different types of problems such as drawing a model in solving a wide array of problems. J Includes suggestions to help students develop the problem-solving process in familiar and unfamiliar situations. J Provides links between problem solving and current initiative in the school systems such as the teaching of thinking, project work, performance assessment and the use of technology. J Teachers would be shown the use of the model method, and how the model method would develop algebraic thinking long before students encounter algebra in primary six.

TW004
Not Lost in the Problem Solving Jungle! Helping Pupils Approach Problem Solving in a more Systematic Manner (3 Hours)

• Help teachers design problem solving lessons, which would help pupils approach problem solving in a more systematic manner which would be helpful in solving familiar problems.
• Discussion on how teachers can inject into their lessons creative and critical thoughts that are essential in less familiar problems.
• Help the school’s mathematics department integrate problem solving into their instructional programme such that pupils at the end of the primary school education would have been exposed to a wide range of problems and heuristics.

TW005
Creative Thinking Skills for Low Ability Pupils (3 Hours)

• Learn the components of creative thinking and be engaged in activities that help develop this particular habit of mind.
• The activities will show features that are suitable for pupils who are not doing well in school mathematics which include pupils doing, small-group instruction and opportunity to practise basic skills.
• By the end of the workshop, teachers should be able to design activities that help develop creative thinking ability amongst pupils who have not being doing well in school.

TW006
Creative Use of Manipulatives in Primary Mathematics (3 Hours)

• Focuses on the use of manipulatives to teach concepts and to encourage thinking, including creative and critical thinking.
• Learn the key principles of creating and using manipulatives in the primary classroom.
• It is proposed that in-house follow-up sessions are conducted. These can be level-based led by the teachers themselves. The manipulatives and the accompanying lessons developed during these in-house sessions can be showcased in several ways. Two possibilities are to publish these worksheets into books that can be made available commercially or to hold an exhibition as a form of sharing for teachers from neighbouring schools.

TW007
Activity-Based Lessons (3 Hours)

• Teachers will explore different ways to use activity-based lessons to help pupils learn mathematics in primary school.
• The topics included are using activity-based lessons to help pupils develop numerical and algebraic concepts and promote good habits of mind. In addition, using of textbooks in conjunction with activity-based lesson.
• Participants can subsequent try to design activity-based lessons to achieve a range of pedagogical goals.

TW008
Open-Ended Tasks & Investigations in Primary Mathematics (3 Hours)

• Learn about the features of good open-ended tasks. The topics include how to use these tasks to achieve different objectives such as developing concept and good habits of mind and suggestions on how to assess pupils' work in such tasks.
• Teachers will also learn how to create such tasks.
• Investigations are taken to be sustained open-ended tasks.

TW009
ThinkTank Programme (3 Hours)

• Teachers to be familiarize with the philosophy of integrating the teaching of thinking skills with mathematics lessons.
• Through sample lessons, teachers would learn how thinking skills can be used to achieve three purposes;
  (1) to acquire basic concepts
  (2) to extend and refine a basic concept to another concept
  (3) to use concepts.
• Teachers would learn how to structure and modify lessons in the programme and also explore some assessment modes to assess the outcome of the ThinkTank Programme.

TW010
Thinking Skills in Mathematics (3 Hours)

• Help teachers understand how they can realise the vision of the Thinking Schools philosophy.
• A brief overview of the different models for teaching thinking skills would be presented.
• Teachers would be engaged in hands-on activities to understand the use of thinking skills to learn a new concept, to extend a concept, to refine a concept and to apply a concept.

TW011
Mathematics Investigations (3 Hours)

• Teachers would be engaged in understanding the principles behind mathematics investigation which would be demonstrated through a series of hands-on activities.
• Some investigations could be used as a teaching tool. Other investigations could be used as alternative and continual assessment. Yet others would demonstrate how interdisciplinary links could be achieved via investigations.
• Some investigations require hands-on experiments while others require more seatwork. Some investigations could be done as a team, while others could be done alone.

TW012
Test Items and Assessment Tasks for the Thinking Curriculum (3 Hours)

• Teachers would explore types of test items and assessment tasks that are consistent with the thinking curriculum.
• The topics covered during this workshop are:
  (1) Using the typical paper-and-pencil test to assess thinking in mathematics;
  (2) Modifying test items to assess thinking in mathematics curriculum; and
  (3) Alternative modes to assess thinking in mathematics curriculum
• The main aim of this workshop is to help teachers select and develop a range of assessment items in both the traditional format and the more innovative formats.

TW013
Designing Maths Trails (3 Hours)

• Teachers would understand that there is a spectrum of Maths Trail tasks, some of which are superficial while others integrate the physical environment with the intended mathematical concepts.
• Suggestions would be provided for the use of Maths Trails as a way to review concepts, to help students learn concepts, to incorporate problem solving and higher order thinking skills and for students to use communication and collaborative skills.
• Teachers would see examples of successful as well as unsuccessful Maths Trail tasks, and they would also be engaged in a series of hands-on activities. In cases whereby schools are constructing Maths Trails for your students, follow-up consultancy services would also be provided.

TW014
Helping Low-ability Pupils in Mathematics (3 Hours)

• Teachers would learn on how to deal with low-ability pupils.
• The workshop provides examples of tasks to motivate these pupils, give them some confidence in mathematics and equip pupils with basic competencies.
• First part : Teachers would be engaged in some tasks that pupils find enjoyable.
• Second part : Suggestions to equip pupils with basic competencies.
• Last part : Teachers would be encouraged to share their views and experiences.

TW015
Differentiated Learning and Teaching (3 Hours)

• Share ideas on how to cater to a mixed-ability class.
• The following topics would be discussed in the workshop:
  

  • Understand the different levels that pupils can respond to a class, teachers are able to assign appropriate tasks to pupils with different abilities.
  • Lessons that challenge the high-ability pupils but not beyond the grasp of the low-ability pupils. These lessons are based on the same activities but with differentiated learning objectives.
  • Adapting tasks for pupils of different abilities. The same tasks can be adapted to challenge the high-ability pupils and to facilitate higher-order thinking among low-ability pupils.
• Teachers would learn how to design the same tasks for all pupils and adapting the tasks to cater to the mixed-ability class.
• The aim is to challenge the high-ability pupils and to facilitate learning, including higher-order thinking even among the low-ability pupils

TW016
Mathematics-Based Project Work (3 Hours)

• Aims to serve as a stimulus for teachers teaching the same level to design and implement project work in their classrooms, perhaps by involving teachers of other subjects.
• Learn the different ways project work is used in the mathematics classroom. The models to be discussed are the teaching for project work, teaching of project work and also teaching through project work.
• The fundamentals of interdisciplinary projects will be described and illustrated. Teachers teaching the same level will brainstorm to germinate one seed idea for an interdisciplinary project.
• The speaker will share some examples to illustrate good project designs.
• Assessment methods will be described. The use of working file, portfolios and products as well as assessment tools such as rubrics and assessment process such as the use of exemplars will be described.

TW017
Child-Centred Mathematics Lessons (3 Hours)

• Focuses on the development of lessons to facilitate learning that is consistent with the TSLN philosophy.
• Teachers would be engaged in samples of such lessons, which are classified in eight categories:
• Lessons to help children construct procedural knowledge

  • Lessons to help children construct conceptual knowledge
  • Lessons to help children extend knowledge
  • Lessons to help children refine knowledge
  • Lessons to help children use knowledge
  • Lessons to develop creative thinking
  • Lessons to develop critical thinking
  • Lessons to develop metacognition.
• The workshop would help participants improve important techniques such as worksheet development and appropriate questioning. The purpose of this workshop is to allow teachers to attempt some child-centred lessons. Through teaching child-centred lessons, it is hoped that, in the long run, children in the school would be equipped with sound concepts, skillful processes and good habits of mind when they graduate.

TW018
The Use of Calculator in Teaching & Learning of Mathematics (3 Hours)

Teachers will be engaged in a series of activities that involve the use of the calculator to understand the various roles of calculators in primary mathematics.

The use of calculators in

• solving authentic-data problems,
• solving problems that require the consideration of context,
• investigating and generalizing, and
• helping students who are not strong in computation are included.

TW019
Problem Solving in Primary Mathematics (3 Hours)

By using a set of problems, teachers will learn the competencies that are needed to accompany the knowledge of heuristics in solving non-routine mathematical problems. Teachers will also learn teaching strategies that can be used to develop these competencies.

TW020
Differentiated Instruction in Primary Mathematics (3 Hours)

Using a given task, teachers will learn how to use the task to engage students who are average as well as those who are struggling and those who are advanced.

An alternate version of this workshop is differentiating materials from textbooks and workbooks for students of all achievement levels.

TW021
Teaching for Understanding in Primary Mathematics (3 Hours)

Using principles from various models to understand what constitutes understanding in mathematics, teachers will learn how to teach for, and assess, understanding. Teachers will also see some applications of ideas from Understanding by Design.

TW022
Teaching Big Ideas in Primary Mathematics Classroom (3 Hours)

Teachers will be engaged in a set of activities to learn the big ideas in the revised curriculum (2008) – visualization, generalization, and communication.

They will learn how to develop these big ideas as well as how to assess them.