Teach Secondary 14.4

Even when you love what you’re doing, whether it’s sport, music or reading, practice can be a bit of a grind. For those who lack confidence or motivation, that mental obstacle can seem almost insurmountable. Yet, as we all know, new skills have to be diligently practised for the knowledge to become embedded. The trick, then, is to make it as fun or engaging as possible. When it comes to maths or aspects of literacy, that can be easier said than done. However, given the endless hours many of us seem happy to dedicate to largely unproductive tasks, such as playing computer games, it is no wonder that interactive approaches to practising core subjects have flooded the market during the internet age. Finding one that meets your school’s needs, though, can be a challenge. For many, the answer has been Sumdog. Since its humble beginnings over 10 years ago, Sumdog has been dedicated to developing and refining an inclusive, absorbing platform where pupils of all abilities and backgrounds can practise their taught skills. The aim was to create a safe, inclusive space where everyone feels represented, and no longer believes that there are some areas of the primary and KS3 maths curriculum in which they cannot enjoy success. So, how does the reality match up to the ambition? First and foremost, it does objectively have a positive impact on maths fluency, according to research. And, as many a teacher will affirm, students often know what to do – the challenge is for them to do it accurately and efficiently enough – i.e. with sufficient fluency – to perform well in tests and exams. The tasks can be easily tailored according to students’ age and ability levels. The questions are also designed to be fully aligned with the National Curriculum and White Rose Maths. The automatic marking and data analysis functions additionally mean that you, as the teacher, can easily monitor progress and spot gaps in understanding. From the student’s point of view, Sumdog Maths is genuinely entertaining. Turning learning into a game is a time- honoured technique for improving outcomes – and which child or young teen these days doesn’t enjoy computer games, given the chance to play? Should you need further reassurance, however, Sumdog includes mechanisms that will prevent users from rushing the tasks in order to focus on the gameplay. Used sensibly, Sumdog is clearly an effective tool for incentivising and rewarding maths practice, whilst giving An engaging, game-based maths practice platform that motivates pupils while generating valuable insights for teachers A T A G L ANCE MATHS • Aligned with the national curriculum and White Rose Maths • Adaptable to the needs and abilities of all pupils • Allows teachers to set targeted maths practice tasks in minutes • Automatically generates data for monitoring progress and identifying learning gaps • Known to increase maths fluency Subscriptions from £3.50 per pupil, per year. Learn more at learn.sumdog.com Fun and engaging Promotes fluency Inclusive and customisable Convenient for teachers Generates valuable insights …you want to provide targeted maths practice in a way that motivates and engages your pupils. V E RD I C T UPGRADE I F . . . REVIEWED BY: TS REVIEWER Sumdog Maths teachers valuable intelligence as to how their pupils are doing. Considering how it also removes the headache of setting and marking constructive maths homework, you might find your colleagues sitting up and begging to give it a go... R E V I E W 81 teachwire.net/secondary