Session /

Aims/Objectives

/ Content / Handouts / Resources
Session 3
Error
Analysis / Explore the factors that lead to learners’ errors
Identify common causes of errors
Identify ways of working with learners to correct these errors
/ Introduction to the session
4 groups, each with trainer, on error analysis
Whole group discussion and summary / S3H1 Error Analysis
S3H2 Problems with Direction?
S3H3 Cultural Differences in Numerical Methods
S3H4 Examples of Cultural Differences in Methods and Layout of Calculations / Energiser Section 3 Powerpoint
S3R1 Trainer Version of S3H1
Flipchart and pens
Flipchart paper

Numeracy Energiser Trainer Notes

Session 3: Error Analysis – Learning from mistakes

Trainer Notes Session 375 minutes

Error Analysis – Learning from Mistakes

Outcomes

By the end of this activity, participants will have:

identified common causes of errors

considered what a study of a learner’s errors can reveal about prior numeracy learning

and understanding of concepts

explored ways of using errors as a starting point for learning

Adapt the session to suit the participants’ experience of teaching numeracy to adult learners.

Focus on the types of errors they are most likely to encounter with their learners.

If each group has a trainer the whole-group session at the end can be shorter.

Whole group introduction (10 min)S3PP 1 – 8

  • This session is about the importance of learning from mistakes in working with
  • adult numeracy learners.
  • Error analysis is an important tool in the teaching and learning of numeracy.
  • If we can determine where, and why mistakes have been made we can use
  • this information as a guide to effective teaching and learning.

There are common mistakes that people make when working with numbers.

These could be a result of the learner:

  • not fully understanding a mathematical concept, for example, place value
  • using a mixture of two methods
  • understanding the concept but not having practised the method enough to carry out correctly under pressure
  • having a disability that affects learning
  • others?

Groups (30 – 45 min)S3R1

Introduce the ‘Error Analysis’ sheets.S3H1

Number – 3 sheets

MeasureShape and Space 1 sheet

Handling Data – 1 sheet

Ideally everyone should cover some of the errors in each area.

Some of the reasons for errors are on the trainer sheet but NOT all of them! Add others from the feedback.

What’s gone wrong in each example?

What does the learner need to learn?

What might you as the tutor do?

Session 3 Trainer notes

Whole group Feedback session (15 - 30 min)

Each group provides an example of an error and some ideas on:

  • what the error reveals
  • what the tutor’s strategy might be

Others comment and suggest alternatives where appropriate.

SummaryS3H 2, 3, & 4

Recap using the PowerPoint slides plus points that have arisen in the session.

Handouts here or within the smaller group sessions.

Questions and Close

Session 3 Resources

PPSEnergiser Section 3 PowerPoint

S3R1Error Analysis – trainer version

Computer and data projector

Flipchart, pens, blutak

Selection of unibricks on each table

Optional - materials for demonstration of tutors’ strategies, for example:

money

Diennes apparatus or other base 10 blocks

multiplication Squares

squared paper

number lines

Session 3 Handouts

S3H1Error Analysis, sections 1 - 5

S3H2Problems with Direction?

S3H3Cultural differences in Numerical Methods

S3H4Cultural Differences in methods and layout for calculations

Session 3 Trainer notes