Dr Cheng Lu Pien
National Institute of Education Singapore

Abstract: This workshop will focus on the selection, design and implementation of mathematical tasks, such as, mathematics journal writing to foster mathematical reasoning and thinking in the primary Mathematics classrooms. Selection and evaluation of children’s literature to enhance instruction and build meaningful connections for the primary mathematics classrooms will also be discussed.

Prof Keiko Hino
Utsunomiya University

Abstract: This workshop discusses how open-ended mathematical tasks and activities may provide children with important opportunities to exercise logical reasoning, make connections, generalize results, and so on. By partly incorporating the process of Lesson Study, participants will engage in several mathematical tasks, reflect on their experiences with them, and collaboratively design open-ended tasks and activities for use in their mathematics classrooms.

Prof Jiang Chunlian
University of Macau

Abstract: : In this workshop, we shall try to address the following questions:

• What are the problem-posing activities that are frequently presented in mathematics textbooks and used in mathematics education research? Results obtained from a comparison of problem posing tasks in US and Chinese mathematics textbooks will be reported.
• How can we integrate mathematical problem posing into the teaching and learning of mathematical problem solving? We shall illustrate how we did our experimental study integrating mathematical problem posing into the teaching and learning of mathematical problem solving.
• What are the effects of the integration of problem posing in the teaching and learning of mathematical problem solving on students’ performance in mathematical problem solving and problem posing. We shall report the results we obtained from an experimental study.

Dr Eric Chan Chun Ming
National Institute of Education Singapore

Abstract: A vibrant classroom environment is characterized by students’ active engagement in a task and with one another. The learning outcomes are usually rich and informative. For such an interactive environment to take place, it depends very much on the type of tasks provided which in turn is dependent on how the task is designed. This workshop aims to enable teachers to acquire an understanding of using model-eliciting activities (MEAs) to promote learner-centred pedagogy. MEAs are rich contextualized activities that represent real-world (or simulated) situations for pupils to formulate mathematical descriptions and solutions towards interpreting the problem situations.

Dr Yeo Kai Kow, Joseph
National Institute of Education Singapore

Abstract: When mathematics teachers plan instruction for their students, they focus on the middle achievers. However, high-progress learners may need additional resources to challenge and engage them while low-progress learners who are lacking prerequisite knowledge need extra support. To address the difficulty of meeting the needs of all learners in their mathematics instruction, mathematics teachers have found success by “basing instruction on problems and activities that invite different solution approaches and many levels of solution so that less talented students can participate in the task with more talented indviduals and all can experience individual success.” (Bley and Thornton 1994, p.158). This workshop will focus on the types of short open-ended tasks that teacher can convert from closed problems found in textbook exercises. Such open-ended tasks can be incorporated into normal lessons and would not require an extensive length of several periods for students to solve. This workshop will also discuss how open-ended tasks can be integrated in the teaching and learning of mathematics at the primary level.