Subject Leaders' Day November 2009 MPA skills and PLTS

Here is the PowerPoint presentation I delivered at the Subject Leaders' Day in Urchfont on November 23rd 2009. It relates to the connection between MPA skills and PLTS. Follow the link to the PowerPoint at http://www.wiltshire-ast.co.uk/media/maths-documents/index.php

Matching MPA skills to PLTS

I have spent a little time trying to match up commonalities between PLTS headings and MPA skills. I still find the MPA headings a little vague so have used the nRich site to help. They have a great mapping document which shows how all of their rich tasks tie in with MPA processes and with maths content. In their processes map they expand a little on the MPA phrases, see my other post for the link to the MPA map that I have now updated to include their expanded phrases. I have now made a document in Word which takes the six PLTS headings, breaks them down by using the information from the DfES site (how maths can help deliver the PLTS) and then allocates each of the expanded MPA skills to one of these areas. I hope that you will see that the PLTS and MPA skills are largely aiming at the same development in student ability and that by helping students improve in these areas that they will be better learners as well as better mathematicians. The Word document is in the usual place: http://www.wiltshire-ast.co.uk/media/maths-documents/index.php

MPA map with nRich clarification

I have adapted the MPA map from the standards site so that the phrases used are a little more understandable and so that we can find exemplification of each one. I have done this by using the nRich process mapping spreadsheet, taking their titles from each of the MPA categories and allocating these to the phrases used on the original MPA map. So, if you look at the adapted map I have made at http://www.wiltshire-ast.co.uk/media/maths-documents/index.php you will see that each "node" refers to the phrases used on the nRich process mapping spreadsheet (http://nrich.maths.org/curriculum) and this spreadsheet has hyperlinks to activities that they say cover that skill. Hope that makes sense.

Admin Resources for New Framework

Here are some files that help with management of the new Framework.
You should find the APP booklet, (two levels to a page here http://www.scribd.com/doc/16917831/APP-Booklet,) a blank Year 7 Unit Plan (http://www.scribd.com/doc/16917830/Year-7-Unit-Plan-Pro-Forma) which you could download and edit (although the MPA map at the beginning cannot be edited without certain software, see other post called "Editing the MPA map" and a document showing all the ways in which maths can support the delivery of PLTS here (http://www.scribd.com/doc/16917832/Maths-PLTS-Contributions)

Fantastic link to loads of Rich tasks for you courtesy of NRich. For each Key Stage there is a Word document which covers the Framework for each objective and has links to Rich tasks appropriate for delivering that content. There is then also an Excel spreadsheet for each year which lists all of the MPA skills (process) and shows you which Rich task supports delivering that skill. Again, it is hyperlinked to the resources so it is easy to follow. These are at http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=5665

There are some links from the Govt site to some Rich tasks at http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/161236?uc=force_uj They reference the MPA skills addressed as well as the curriculum content being covered. A cross referencing table shows how these cover the relevant skills at http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/161811

Editing the MPA map

You may want to adapt the MPA map so that it shows which areas of it are being addressed in a unit plan. I have used the map at the start of each new unit I have planned so that teachers using it are aware of the skills that they are delivering and can start to mention these to students. You will need to download the adaptable template from the right hand side of the page on this link http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/16015?uc=force_uj and then you will need to download a piece of software called FreeMind from the link on the same page (or here http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page.) When you have downloaded FreeMind, right click on the adaptable template icon and then "Open with" and choose FreeMind from the list.
I managed to start using FreeMind fairly easily. Double click on a bubble to edit it. If it then looks too long when you have finished, right click on it and choose "Edit long node" and then put some return characters in to make it look better.

MPA terms explained a little bit

The phrases used on the MPA map always cause me some confusion. Although I don't think it really matters which phrase a "rich task" should be linked to, I wanted to try to understand what was meant by each of the terms. I have collected together some descriptions of the phrases on the MPA map for each of Number, Algebra, Geometry, Statistics and ICT in Maths. These all came from various bits of the Standards Site I think. Follow the maths path on the following link
http://www.wiltshire-ast.co.uk/