Conference synopsis_MAVCON2026 - Flipbook - Page 128
SESSION G: Friday, 2pm-3pm (cont.)
Key takeaways:
1. Key factors in the creation of Sensory Discovery Tables.
2. Pedagogical content knowledge to support understanding
the importance of Sensory Discovery Tables.
3. Illustration of practice - Sensory Discovery Table examples.
G18 ENGAGING ALL LEARNERS IN HANDS
ON, MINDS ON LESSONS.
Sub-category: Engaging and including every learner
Judy Hartnett and Guy Constable, Learning Through
Doing
F - Y6
Engagement is more than gaining students’ attention. In
effective whole-class mathematics learning, differentiation
can occur through high expectations, purposeful questioning
and carefully structured opportunities for all students to
think, discuss and participate. Confidence and conceptual
understanding are strengthened when students follow a whole
class discussion with activities using materials and respond to
teacher questions that connect directly to the mathematical
ideas the class is exploring.
This session will involve participants in a three-part
mathematics lesson deliberately designed to engage all
students and develop conceptual understanding, not
just memorisation. The lesson uses guided discovery to
connect new learning to existing concepts through teacher
questioning, partner talk and hands-on tasks. Participants
will experience how students can be engaged cognitively,
behaviourally and affectively - minds-on, hands-on and
hearts-on. The pedagogy behind the lesson will then be
unpacked, with key elements summarised for participants to
take back to their own classrooms.
Key takeaways:
1. Engaging students in whole class discussions where most
if not all can participate (or listen) - low floor and building
concepts with guided questions
2. Power of questioning as a pedagogy - not telling
3. Differentiation in a whole class setting - extension
opportunities
4. Benefit of hands on, minds on activities to engage students
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G19 DIVISIBILITY RULES IN A PRIME
NUMBER UNIVERSE!
Sub-category: Mathematical content and concepts
Stephen Paatsch, University High School
Y7 - Y8
The beauty of natural numbers can easily be lost in our
crowded curriculum. Yet it is this very beauty that firstly
forms many ideas of Numeracy required by our youngest
high school students. This presentation is centred around
some wonderfully simple mathematics within the natural
number field. Beginning with multiplication tables and prime
numbers through to such topics as divisibility rules, Pascal’s
Triangle, prime numbers, and the Fibonacci Sequence, the
presentation looks at the evolution of patterns in our natural
number system and then ideas of how to incorporate them
repeatedly in the secondary curriculum. This next instalment
in Stephen’s Legacy Lectures continues and encourages
teachers and students alike to embrace mathematics every
day and to appreciate the beauty and relevance natural
numbers provide at every turn.
Key takeaways:
1. A brief history of the evolution of the natural number field.
2. Divisibility rules - summary sheet.
3. Pascal’s Triangle - using within quadratic, cubic, and quartic
expansions.
G20 BUILDING CORE MATHEMATICAL
SKILLS IN YEAR 7.
Sub-category: Planning
Stephanie Thomson, St Bede’s College
Y7 - Y8
In 2026, our Mmathematics department introduced three
key initiatives to strengthen student’s core mathematics skills
in Year 7. First, students completed a diagnostic timestable assessment at the beginning of the year. Based on the
results, selected students participated in targeted support
sessions to build fluency and confidence. Second, students
spend ten minutes at the beginning of their maths lesson
completing short skill-building activities focused on addition,
multiplication, rounding, fractions etc, we call this program
‘Keeping Mathematically Fit’. Pre- and post-assessments will
measure student growth and guide future expansion. Third,
all Year 7–9 tests now include a Pre-Knowledge Skills section.
