Teaching Mental Mathematics from Level Five

This series of books from the National Strategies were produced to support teachers in planning a structured and progressive approach to the development of mental processes.

Students need to transfer mathematics confidently and apply it appropriately. This needs to be taught. Most commonly, students will use mental mathematics in solving problems as they occur in their lives, in other areas of their studies and as they prepare for the world of work.

To support students in doing this, teachers will frequently need to set both large and small mathematical problems in real, purposeful and relevant contexts. Students will need to solve increasingly complex and unfamiliar problems using mathematics, apply more demanding mathematical procedures during their analysis and do so with increasing independence.

Each attainment target in mathematics is addressed through its own booklet, divided into separate topic areas. For each topic, there is a progression chart that illustrates expectations for mental processes, broadly from National Curriculum level five to level eight.

These are not rigid hierarchies and the degree of demand will be influenced by the context in which they occur and, particularly for the number topics, by the specific numbers involved. For this reason ideas from one chart have to interconnect with those in another. The aim is that the charts will help teachers to adjust the pitch of the activities that are described on subsequent pages.

The main guidance is in the form of suggested activities for developing mental processes in each topic. These activities are designed to be used with students who are achieving at National Curriculum level five and beyond.