Upon reading the update to the DfE’s (2021) Non-statutory Guidance for Key Stage 3, I was struck by the emphasis on the development of pupils’ ‘understanding of mathematical concepts and structures, alongside providing sufficient practice to attain fluency’ (p. 6). One of the ways I achieve this is by using worked examples to scaffold pupil understanding.
The EEF’s ‘Cognitive Science Approaches in the Classroom’ evidence review suggests that using worked examples helps to manage pupils’ cognitive load by providing clear, step-by-step exemplification which supports understanding of each stage in a mathematical process or task. This removes the need for pupils to carry out the task in its entirety, and instead allows them to focus attention on understanding the individual steps required to reach a solution.
Worked examples can also promote high-quality mathematical talk by providing opportunities for pupils to work on shared tasks to elicit collaboration and discussions around concepts, strategies and ideas. In this way, worked examples can support pupils’ transition to independent practice by providing a scaffold which can boost confidence and help prevent pupils from feeling overwhelmed.
