Understanding and Teaching Primary Mathematics

Written by an experienced teacher and teacher educator with widespread experience of teaching mathematics in the UK and internationally, the bestselling Understanding and Teaching Primary Mathematics combines pedagogy and subject knowledge to build confidence and equip you with all the skills and know-how you need to successfully teach mathematics to children of any age.

This fifth edition has been completely updated to include the latest developments in learning and teaching mathematics, including mastery approaches, a Singapore approach and the use of manipulatives in the primary classroom. There are new activities for you to use in your teaching and links to the dedicated website, which contains materials to develop a personal portfolio, more activities to use in your classroom and presentations and podcasts to support your further professional development to reflect the latest research developments. It covers all areas of the mathematics curriculum and will allow you to become a confident teacher of mathematics through developing your own subject knowledge.

Tony draws on his many years of experience teaching mathematics and working with early career teachers to share classroom activities which will support you in learning mathematics through engaging in mathematical activity with your learners.

About the Author

Tony Cotton is the editor of Mathematics Teaching, a previous honorary secretary of the ATM and a member of the ATM for over 40 years. He started his career teaching mathematics in secondary schools in Sheffield, then worked as an advisory teacher for anti-racist and multicultural education, before teaching on secondary and primary teacher education courses in Nottingham and Leeds, becoming the head of the School of Education and Childhood at Leeds Metropolitan University. In 2012, he left the University sector to work full time as a writer and freelance educational consultant.

Review

‘Understanding and Teaching Primary Mathematics provides a valuable resource for both in-service and pre-service teachers. It combines both pedagogy and content knowledge to build fundamental mathematical understandings with practical suggestions on how this knowledge is enacted in the classroom. I will definitely be using it in my undergraduate teaching courses and strongly recommend it to other mathematics teacher educators.’

Tracey Muir, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education, University of Tasmania, Australia

‘Cotton’s narrative throughout the book will support teachers and student teachers to make links between mathematical content knowledge and pedagogy. The book weaves theory, content and pedagogy through examples of real-life teaching experiences. Teachers and student teachers alike will find this book and its companion features an informative and useful resource for professional and personal development.’

Karen Major, Professional Teaching Fellow in Primary Mathematics, University of Auckland, New Zealand