Pre - Session Task - 

1. Write one or two sentences about the problem, issue or challenge you’d like to explore through the Pilot Enquiry.

1 My Research focus is:

An exploration of maths curriculum access for learners with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in KS 3 and KS 4. A bounded case study of one local authority.

2 The phenomena to be investigated are: (these are NOT the research

questions)

a) how much access to the maths curriculum do pupils with FASD have?

b) how does their approach to learning mathematics and their progress compare to pupils of a similar age

c) what are the best teaching and learning strategies, learning materials and environment

d) what is the level of knowledge of maths teachers, and what are the implications for ITT and INSET

3 Considerations

a) It will be important to identify the pupils and where they are learning

(i) I intend using the Stoke on Trent FASD parent support group (website, Facebook page email etc) to identify the families - then seeking volunteers to help - I think I will only need one for the pilot study

(ii) do teachers know how to recognise and identify pupils with FASD - using knowledge of traits or them having an EHCP?

b) there is literature and verbal experiential evidence that suggests this group of pupils do not perform as well as their peers -does the evidence in the UK support this?-if so, they fit into the SEND category although his does not appear on the government's list

c) the MILE (Maths Interactive Learning Experience) program in the USA is successful in improving confidence and performance with an emphasis: repetition, working memory, and executive functioning

d) The Maths Education perspective refers to Maths Learning Difficulties (MLD), which provides a different focus to the SEND focus I have been using to date.. 

2 Identify key words associated with this issue or problem and use them to conduct a literature search electronically to identify research-relevant journal articles, book chapters and books.

1. Teaching maths to learners with complex learning difficulties 

2.  Identify the most appropriate research methodology and methods

3. Data Analysis.

1. Teaching and learning maths to learners with complex learning difficulties (SEND and MLD (Maths Learning Difficulties))

• the classroom environment, materials and approaches with an emphasis
• on the learning requirements for learners with FASD and complex needs
• teacher knowledge and implications for training (ITT and INSET)
• Establishing whether the pupils are making similar progress to their peers

2. Research Methodology and methods:

Methodolgy:

•Interpretative (hermeneutic) phenomenology and IPA and ethnography.

consideration of the insider/ outsider role of the researcher

reflexivity and considerstion of time and space (rhythm ananalysis)

Using the Methods listed below

• bounded Case study of one local authority - (Stoke on Trent) - to keep the sample to a manageable level. 4 pupils at KS3 and 3 at KS4 and 30 serving teachers at KS 3 and 4.
• Semi-structured interviews and discussions - with an IPA and hermeneutic
• analysis of the narrative following guidance from Smith, Flowers and Larkin, (2022: 56)
• Observation of children working and of the learning materials being used in the classroom environment.
• Survey of general maths teachers including closed and open questions. This will be done electronically.
• Analysis of the pupil’s attendance and their achievement data,
• Individual and relational caring approach
• Ethical approach to working with young, possibly vulnerable children

3. Data Analysis

Interpretation using the hermeneutic circle, (going back and forth, refining and improving until the themes converge)

Using the IPA framework to analyse the outcomes with each pupil (Smith,Flowers and Larkin, 2022).

•Quantitative analysis of survey questions,

reflexive thematic analysis of interviews, and other narrative forms of data.

All observations, semi-structured interviews, and discussions will be recorded as narratives.

thematic analysis using Braun and Clarke’s framework will seek to identify emerging common themes. The reflexive nature permitting themes to change and evolve.

4. Bring the above to the first session and be prepared to talk about these to begin to formulate your research questions or research focus.

My Research Questions are:

1 What conditions in teaching and learning along with the classroom environment are most suitable for children with FASD and complex learning difficulties

2 Which teaching and learning strategies are currently regarded as effective by practioners.

3 What is at level of knowledge among maths teachers, and what are the implications for training.

3. Read at least the abstracts of these sources and make notes on how they relate to 1 above.

Some Observations from reading sources focusing on learning difficulties in mathematics. Where I have previously focused on Maths and SEND, looking through the Maths Education lens now leads to some different approaches and terminology:

MLD Maths Learning Difficulites

ID Intellectual disabilities

TD Typical Development

LD Learning difficulties

I found the article " Understanding and addressing significant mathematical difficulties" by Suja Sivadasan* , Helen Thouless #, Pablo Mayorga* and Sue Gifford* to be particularly useful, and I aim to make contact with them.

Below are some relevant quotes with references used at the end. My only difference with the views expressed is that they use a quantitative approach, which I don't believe is appropriate for these pupils due to their individual nature:

(p1) With a clearer understanding of these children, we can suggest more appropriate ways to support their progress.

(p1) The vast majority of the research in this field is led by and focuses on special education rather than on mathematics education (Karp, 2013)

(p1) Therefore, more research into the mathematics learning of this population needs to be undertaken by mathematics education researchers. Current recommendations from neuroscience and psychology

(p1) This identifies the need to consider children with mathematical difficulties as individuals with different background characteristics and mathematical profiles, due to complex and interrelated causes, who show a persistent lack of progress.

(p2) In light of this, the authors propose to work in mainstream schools with children who have significant mathematical difficulties without other SEND,

(p2) A recent meta-analysis of the research in this field found no consensus on the operational definition of significant difficulties in mathematics nor on the

terms used to categorise it (Lewis & Fisher, 2016). 

(p2) Mazzocco (2007) found that children with a neurologically based disorder related to mathematics have standardised test performance below the 10th percentile, whereas children with performance between the 11th and the 30th percentiles are presumed to have mathematics difficulties unrelated to a biological origin.

p2)  The authors will adopt ‘significant mathematical difficulties’ as the working term. It is also proposed that, initially, the current working criteria consider children with significant mathematical difficulties as those who are persistently (for two or more years) working below national expectations (by one or more years) against the current curriculum. (p3) 

Furthermore, there is currently little research on the different demographic characteristics of children with number difficulties compared with typically achieving children (Lewis & Fisher, 2016). 

(p3)The methodology to examine the characteristics of children with significant mathematical difficulties will consist of quantitative data analysis.

(p4) A recent review of literature found that most research focuses on whether children know their number bonds and if they can carry out multi-digitcalculation procedures, with some additional research examining children’s knowledge of counting sequence, number recognition, word problems, number principles and fractions