These articles, written for primary teachers, focus on the overarching curriculum aims of problem solving, reasoning and fluency.
To see all the articles we publish for primary teachers, please see our CPD Articles for the Classroom.
To see all the articles we publish for primary teachers, please see our CPD Articles for the Classroom.
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Codebreakers
This article for Primary and Secondary teachers is all about the mathematics behind solving puzzles, unravelling mysteries and breaking codes.
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Mathematical problem solving in the early years
This article describes how the NRICH Early Years resources aim to further develop young children's natural problem-solving abilities in the context of mathematics.
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Mathematical problem solving in the early years: developing opportunities, strategies and confidence
In this article for Early Years practitioners, Dr Sue Gifford outlines ways to develop children's problem-solving strategies and confidence in problem solving.
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Encouraging primary children to work systematically
This article for primary teachers suggests ways in which to help children become better at working systematically.
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Primary children's mathematical recording
This article for teachers outlines different types of recording, depending on the purpose and audience.
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Pupils' recording or pupils recording
This article, written for teachers, looks at the different kinds of
recordings encountered in Primary Mathematics lessons and the
importance of not jumping to conclusions!
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Mastering mathematics: the challenge of generalising and proof
This article for primary teachers discusses how we can help learners generalise and prove, using NRICH tasks as examples.
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Opening out
Bernard Bagnall describes how to get more out of some favourite
NRICH investigations.
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Children's mathematical writing
Bernard Bagnall discusses the importance of valuing young
children's mathematical representations in this article for
teachers.
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Experiencing problem solving
Bernard Bagnall looks at what 'problem solving' might really mean
in the context of primary classrooms.
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Geometry in the primary curriculum
This article looks at how the National Curriculum aims of problem solving, reasoning and fluency can be embedded in geometry, using NRICH tasks.
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Using NRICH solutions as a resource
In this article for primary teachers, we suggest ways in which children's solutions on the NRICH site can be used as a teaching resource in their own right.
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What's the problem with problem solving?
Becoming a mathematical problem solver really is the point of doing mathematics, so this article offers ideas and strategies to ensure that every lesson can be a problem solving lesson.
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Group-working skills
This article for teachers suggests a range of activities to help children get better at working in groups.
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Group-worthy tasks and their potential to support children to develop independent problem-solving skills
In this article for teachers, Jennie Pennant outlines how group-worthy tasks support the development of children's problem-solving skills.
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Why dialogue matters in primary proof
In this article for Primary teachers, Ems explores three essential features of proof, all of which can be developed in the context of primary mathematics through talk.
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Developing logical thinking: the place of strategy games
This article outlines how strategy games can help children develop logical thinking, using examples from the NRICH website.
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Developing a classroom culture that supports a problem-solving approach to mathematics
This article offers you practical ways to investigate aspects of your classroom culture.
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Problem solving and the new curriculum
Is problem solving at the heart of your curriculum? In this article for teachers, Lynne explains why it should be.
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Developing number fluency - what, why and how
In this article for primary teachers, Lynne McClure outlines what is meant by fluency in the context of number and explains how our selection of NRICH tasks can help.
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Reasoning: identifying opportunities
In this article for primary teachers we consider in depth when we might reason which helps us understand what reasoning 'looks like'.
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Using NRICH tasks to develop key problem-solving skills
This article, written for primary teachers, discusses what we mean by 'problem-solving skills' and draws attention to NRICH tasks which can help develop specific skills.
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Exploration versus calculation
This article, written for teachers, discusses the merits of different kinds of resources: those which involve exploration and those which centre on calculation.
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Reasoning: the journey from novice to expert (article)
This article for primary teachers suggests ways in which we can help learners move from being novice reasoners to expert reasoners.
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Using National Young Mathematicians' Award tasks to develop problem-solving and group-working skills
This article for primary teachers uses National Young Mathematicians' Award tasks as contexts in which to develop learners' problem-solving and group-working skills.
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Back to the practical?
In this article for teachers, Bernard uses some problems to suggest
that once a numerical pattern has been spotted from a practical
starting point, going back to the practical can help explain why
the pattern occurs.