Podcast

I Can’t Do Maths - Part 2

Challenging the way we think about maths teaching and learning with Professors Alf Coles and Nathalie Sinclair

22/01/2024

I Can’t Do Maths - Part 2

In Part 2 of Episode 78 of the NCETM Maths Podcast, Professors Alf Coles and Nathalie Sinclair continue their discussion about the dogmas in maths teaching and learning, with host Julia Thomson. We explore the misconceptions that ‘maths is culture-free’ and that 'maths is for some people and not for others'. We also scrutinise the notion that ‘maths is hard because it is abstract’ and discuss the Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) model within mastery and the power of representations in maths.

Parts 1 and 3 are also available.

A transcript (PDF) of this episode is available to download.

Show notes

Taking part in the discussion:

  • Professor Alf Coles, University of Bristol
  • Professor Nathalie Sinclair, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia
  • Julia Thomson, Communications Manager, NCETM.

Episode chapters

  • 00:06 - Introduction and welcome
  • 00:32 - Exploring the dogma: maths is culture-free
  • 05:37 - Maths and climate change
  • 07:41 - Debunking the dogma: maths is for some people and not for others
  • 12:48 - The power of representations
  • 17:02 - Algebra in the primary classroom
  • 17:44 - Conclusion and preview for Part 3

Useful links