It is an unfortunate truth that many students transitioning from Primary School to Secondary School lack knowledge and confidence in basic mathematical skills. Classrooms are busy places and finding time to improve students’ skills taught in previous years is difficult.
There is a problem, though Mathsquad has a solution… Introducing Mathsquad’s Year 7 Preparation Online Skill Development Program for Schools!
Subscriptions cost $600AUD per year and include:
- Student Workbooks
- Workbook contains 40 worksheets targeting 21 key maths skills (sample pages here)
- The 40 worksheets allow one sheet per week for the school year
- Sold in PDF form allowing unlimited printing
- Teacher Solutions (sample pages here)
- Online Tuition
- A password protected web page for your school allowing teachers and students to access Online Skill Development Pages for each of the 21 skills (sample school page here)
- Each Skill Development Page contains Video Tutorials and Practice Questions (sample videos and practice questions below, and a sample skill development page is here)
The skills within the Year 7 Preparation Program have been chosen based on their importance in enabling students to learn secondary school mathematics. Please note that if this program is purchased by a Secondary School it will be referred to as a "Key Skills Training Program".
Key features of the program, including information on how the resources can be used for classwork, homework or as an intervention program is included below. Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at wendy@mathsquad.org if you have any questions.
How to Purchase
Schools can purchase a subscription via invoice by contacting Wendy directly on 0402988132 or at wendy@mathsquad.org.
Why teachers will love the Year 7 Preparation Program for Schools…
- Student Workbooks, Teacher Solutions and Online Skill Development Pages are pre-made for simple implementation
- Students can be directed to online Video Tutorials to enable targeted teaching to their learning needs
- Students’ retention of skills and efficiency in which skills are recalled will be maximised
- Students’ progress can be tracked informally through the Worksheets or formally by having students complete a randomly chosen worksheet under test conditions, enabling teachers to make informed decisions as to how best to challenge and support students’ learning
- Worksheets can be completed in class or at home and fit into an existing program with ease
- The program is easy to set up, and once in place, becomes a routine which is easily managed
- If used as a classroom based program, the routine approach makes it perfect for lessons being covered by a substitute teacher
Why students will love the Year 7 Preparation Program for Schools…
- Students can take control of their own learning and fill in gaps at their own pace
- Worksheets contain skills of varying difficulty ensuring all students can make a start
- Students can see themselves improving over time
- Students can see what skills they know and what skills they are ready to learn
- Students are given the time, space and resources to improve their maths skills
Why parents will love the Year 7 Preparation Program for Schools…
- Parents can support their children's learning by working with them as they use the Online Skill Development Pages
- If used as homework, the expectations are clear and easy to support
Implementation
The Mathsquad Year 7 Preparation Program for Schools is designed to be implemented in one of three main ways; as a homework program, as a weekly whole class lesson or as a numeracy intervention program. That said, the resources can be used with great flexibility, so as you read through the details below, please consider what changes could be made to make the program work better for your school.
Homework Program
In-class time commitment: 15 minutes per week
Approach: Print a Student Workbook for each child and choose a homework due day. Out of class, students complete a worksheet from their Student Workbook and engage in the Online Skill Development Pages. On the due day, worksheets are correct sheets as a class (possibly by projecting the Teacher Solutions booklet) for immediate feedback. Click here for a printable implementation guide unpacking the steps in more detail.
Classroom Program
In-class time commitment: 45 minutes per week
Approach: Print a Student Workbook for each child. Within a weekly 45 minute in class session, students complete one Worksheet and engage in the Online Skill Development Pages to improve their skills. Conclude the session by correcting sheets as a class (possibly by projecting the Teacher Solutions booklet) for immediate feedback. Click here for a printable implementation guide unpacking the steps in more detail.
Intervention Program
In-class time commitment: 90 minutes per week
Approach: Print a Student Workbook for each child. Across 3 x 30 minute sessions each week, students complete one Worksheet, engage in the Online Skill Development Pages to improve their skills, and correct their sheet (referring to the Teacher Solutions booklet). Click here for a printable implementation guide unpacking the steps in more detail.
FAQs
Q.What are some of the key features of the Year 7 Preparation Worksheets?
A. Some key features of the Worksheets are listed below. Features that were not present in the Foundation and Core Mathsquad Homework Sheets have been marked with an asterisk.
- Each sheet assesses the same 21 skills in the same order to give students multiple opportunities to practice key skills
- *The 21 skills are the essential primary maths skills that underpin success in high school
- *The 21 skills correspond to online video tutorials and practice questions that enable students to take control of their learning and improve their skills at their own pace
- There are 40 worksheets to allow one sheet per week for the entire year
- Skills sequenced to ensure prerequisite knowledge is covered in earlier questions
- There is space for working out when required
- Correct mathematical language used throughout
- *There are only 2 pages per worksheet, making them palatable for students and minimise printing costs for teachers
- *Pages have been numbered to make them easier to refer to
- *Booklets make no reference to "homework" allowing the worksheets to be used in class or set for homework
- *There is space for students to complete additional tasks from the video tutorials and practice questions
Q. What do the Year 7 Preparation Student Worksheets look like?
A. Click here to access the first 7 pages of the Term 1 booklet.
Q. What do the Year 7 Preparation Teacher Solutions sheets look like?
A. Click here to access the first 7 pages of the Term 1 solutions booklet.
Q. Do the skills in the program align with the Victorian Curriculum?
A. The skills within the Student Worksheets have been chosen based on their importance in enabling students to learn secondary school mathematics. Almost all skills are from Grade 5 or lower (only Q18 which requires students to add fractions with related denominators is a Grade 6 skill).
Q. Should students use a calculator when completing these sheets?
A. As these skills within these questions form the prerequisite knowledge for so many more complex skills it is highly valuable if students can learn to complete them efficiently and without using a calculator. That said, I have found that in some cases (when students have extremely limited mathematical knowledge) that a calculator can give them the confidence to get started.
Q. Is there a system in place where students can document the skills they can do over time to track their progress?
A. Yes! There is a pre-made Progress Chart which is downloadable here.
Q. Once a student has mastered all skills within the Year 7 Preparation Program, what should they do instead?
A. The Student Worksheet could be completed under timed conditions and students could work towards improving their speed each week (without compromising their accuracy of course!). If this does not provide sufficient challenge I recommend using an alternate resource , perhaps Australian Maths Competition past papers. Past Australian Maths Competition Papers can be purchased from here.