Poster Presentation at the Standing Conference on Teacher Education, North and South (SCoTENS) 2024
Set in the context of curriculum reform in Ireland, this research sought to consider inclusive education for all learners in the primary mathematics classroom through the adoption of innovative pedagogies that foster engagement, challenge, and differentiation. The innovative pedagogy trialled in this study—mathematical storytelling—empowers students to develop their own mathematical narratives, fostering agency, creativity, and deeper understanding. This approach aligns with key principles of the 2023 Primary Mathematics Curriculum, such as utilising playful pedagogies and formative assessment to promote learning. Storytelling allows students to actively construct knowledge, connect mathematical concepts to real-life experiences, and collaborate with peers, offering a flexible and inclusive learning environment. Teachers, in turn, gain insights into students' understanding and misconceptions, making it a powerful tool for formative assessment and differentiation.
In collaboration with Fighting Words, the Write to Right approach was trialled in three Irish-Medium Education schools. The research highlights the inclusivity of creative mathematical writing, as demonstrated through the analysis of student-created stories in two of these schools, one set in the Gaeltacht and the other a Gaelscoil in Dublin. Each narrative, Deireadh leis an Mata (The End of Maths) and Rása Sráide (Street Race), integrates mathematical concepts with imaginative storytelling, allowing students to engage deeply with mathematical ideas. By personifying mathematical elements and using geometric characters, the students demonstrated agency and voice, making abstract concepts relatable and accessible. In these stories, mathematical thinking, problem solving, and reasoning are presented in playful and practical contexts. For instance, students explore mathematics' fundamental role in daily life, and use geometry to navigate racecourses and solve real-world problems involving measurements and spatial reasoning. The inclusive nature of this approach is evident in how students of varying abilities were able to creatively integrate mathematics into their stories, illustrating their understanding in ways that were meaningful and engaging.
This research supports the idea that creative mathematical writing is a powerful, inclusive tool that fosters mathematical understanding, promotes engagement, and offers teachers valuable insights into student thinking. It further highlights the transformative potential of this playful pedagogical approach in enhancing students' mathematical thinking, language skills, and overall engagement with mathematics. In advocating for the widespread adoption of creative pedagogies, like mathematical storytelling, as a means of achieving inclusive education, policies should provide structural support, including sustained teacher professional development, and resource allocation, as essential for inclusive education to be effectively enacted in schools.
