Thanks to the University of Reading's Endowment Fund, we have some funding to run a free Maths Through Stories CPD workshop for primary teachers in the UK!

Date
Wednesday 1 May 2019

Programme
12:30-13:00  Registration & Networking
13:00-15:30  Workshop (with tea/coffee break) 

Venue
Room G06, Building L24
University of Reading (London Road campus)
4 Redlands Road
Reading RG1 5EX
UK

The campus map can be found here.

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​Maximum capacity
50 primary school teachers (One place per school. Priority will be given to Mathematics Co-ordinators working at state-funded schools.)

Workshop summary
In this highly interactive and popular workshop, participants will have an opportunity to explore a wide range of story picture books that can be used to enrich primary mathematics teaching and learning. (Over 100 mathematical story picture books will be brought along for participants to explore.) ​Through well-selected case studies, participants will learn how story picture books can be integrated into mathematics lesson planning and teaching. Participants will then work in small groups to design a mathematics teaching and learning activity based on a story picture book of their choice.

After a quick comfort break, participants will learn how teaching mathematics using story picture books can be a pedagogically powerful strategy and explore its underpinning theories. Participants will then consider which selection criteria should be taken into account when selecting mathematical story picture books. ​Finally, participants will be shown how they can continue to receive CPD support through the MathsThroughStories.org website and how they can be part of the initiative.

​This workshop will be useful for both participants who are new to the idea of using story picture books in mathematics teaching and those who have had some experience in using the resource.

​About the workshop facilitator
​Dr. Natthapoj Vincent Trakulphadetkrai is a Lecturer in Primary Mathematics Education at the University of Reading’s Institute of Education, and founder of the non-profit research-based MathsThroughStories.org initiative. The initiative sets out to use research to encourage teachers and parents globally to teach mathematics using story picture books. The website offers valuable and free on-line resources. Since its launch in March 2017, the website has now been viewed over 200,000 times by more than 40,000 teachers and parents from over 170 countries. By the end of the 2018/2019 academic year, Vincent will have delivered his popular Maths Through Stories workshop to around 200 in-service teachers and 2,000 teacher trainees across the UK and abroad. 

In addition to his role as Lecturer in Primary Mathematics Education, Vincent also serves as an executive committee member and trustee of the UK Association of Teachers of Mathematics and the Co-Convenor of the British Education Research Association’s Mathematics Education Special Interest Group (SIG). Previously, he has served as an executive committee member of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics; as Chair of the British Congress of Mathematics Education’s Communications Committee as well as Co-Editor of the Mathematical Association’s Primary Mathematics Journal.

Vincent completed his PhD on primary teachers' beliefs about mathematics, its teaching and learning at the University of Cambridge. His first Master's degree (University of Oxford) focuses on International and Comparative Education, while his second Master's degree (University of London's University College London) is in the area of International Public Policy. He completed his undergraduate primary teacher training degree with Mathematics specialism and the Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) at Brunel University London.

​More details of Vincent's research interests can be found on Natthapoj.org.

Vincent tweets at @NatthapojVinceT and @MathsStories. 

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​Click here to see more photos of and feedback on
​Vincent's Maths Through Stories workshop

“It was lovely to meet Vince at the Derbyshire Primary Maths Conference. He was inspirational and so many teachers now have exciting, additional strategies in their teaching toolkit! We would very much like to work with Vince again and help his work reach an even wider audience. His Maths Through Stories teaching approach is especially relevant in the current curriculum. I absolutely loved the enthusiasm he generated and the sound advice he shared.”
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Julie Barton
Senior Adviser for School Improvement
Derbyshire County Council

“We loved the Maths Through Stories workshop! It was a well researched and refreshing session giving our team some new ideas by making them think outside of the box. Not only did we learn about how we can use story telling to engage children in maths, but we also had some great team-building opportunities through Vincent's well thought-out activities. There was something for everyone from Early Years specialists to our Secondary colleagues. As a presenter, Vince is one of the best - energy and humour throughout.”
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Caroline Hamilton
Head of White Rose Maths

“Feedback on the Maths Through Stories workshop from our Mathematics subject leaders has been really positive and I know that many of them will have returned to school keen to share the MathsThroughStories.org website and ideas with their colleagues. You got everyone involved and showed us how maths can link to picture story books at any age. Thank you for an inspiring afternoon!​”

Vivien Townsend
Primary Mathematics Subject Leaders Lead
Gateway Alliance
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“Vincent was a true professional. Extremely knowledgeable, he inspired teachers across the Early Years and Year 6 phases and his passion was infectious. Teachers felt empowered to go back to school and use stories to enhance and develop their maths teaching. They were excited to use and share the ideas on the MathsThroughStories.org website. We look forward to working with Vincent again in the future.”

Lisa Bradshaw
Director
The North West Three Maths Hub and the St. Helens Teaching School Alliance
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“Dr. Vincent’s Maths Through Stories workshop with our staff enabled us to align perfectly our commitment to use 'books as the golden thread running through our curriculum' with educational research and the National Curriculum requirements. His standards and expectations are high and he probes ideas from participants through skilful questioning. Dr. Vincent's workshop perfectly launched our year's professional learning.”

Jane Girle
Headteacher
Penn Wood Primary and Nursery School

“I attended the Maths Through Stories workshop as I was eager to learn more about ways in which stories could be used to deepen mathematical understanding. Vince has a great enthusiasm and a wide range of knowledge in this area and his workshop was engaging and practical. He conveyed a great passion for this area and supplied practical advice and suggestions based on research as well as showing us the importance of vetting mathematical story books through a light-hearted look at which stories are less successful! Overall, I came away with a deeper understanding of just how many mathematical picture and story books are available and ways in which they can be used to engage pupils in mathematics.​”

Lisa Cole
Primary Development Lead
MathematicsMastery.org​