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Research Project:
​Developing Students’ Understanding of Multiplication
​through Creating Story Picture Books

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What is this research project about?

This research sets out to explore the extent to which getting 8-9 years olds students (Year 4 / Grade 3) to create mini story picture books about multiplication could help them to develop their conceptual understanding of the topic (and their attitudes towards learning mathematics in general). 

Over 1,300 Year 4 students across 24 primary schools in the south east of England (
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire) are part of the research project. (For more detailed summary of the research design, please see the summary table below.)
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The study is funded by the University of Reading's Research Fellowship fund, and it has been formally approved by the Ethics Committee of the University's Institute of Education in November 2019. ​The study is also generously supported by TumbleMath.com who provides free access to a wide range of on-line interactive licensed maths story picture books to teachers in our project to read and use as part of the research. To learn more about TumbleMath.com, click on their logo below. 
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​Potential benefits of our research 

The findings of the study will be useful for school leaders and mathematics teachers as insights into the potential impact of developing students’ conceptual understanding of multiplication through creating story picture books will be explored and shared widely.

Moreover, participating schools will receive (anonymised) findings of what their Year 4 students think about mathematics, and the level of their conceptual understanding of multiplication. The latter can be particularly useful ahead of the UK's new compulsory national Year 4 multiplication tables check (MTC) in June 2020. 

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About the Researcher

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Website: Natthapoj.org
Twitter: @NatthapojVinceT
Facebook: @Natthapoj
Instagram: @Dr.Natthapoj
Dr. Natthapoj Vincent Trakulphadetkrai is a Lecturer in Primary Mathematics Education at the University of Reading's Institute of Education.

​As a leading expert in the research field of using story picture books to enhance mathematics teaching and learning, he created and leads the non-profit MathsThroughStories.org project, which sets out to investigate various aspects of the use of mathematical story picture books. The project's website also offers valuable and free on-line resources for parents and teachers. Since its launch in March 2017, the website has now been viewed over 300,000 times by more than 60,000 teachers and parents from over 180 countries around the world. To date, Dr. Trakulphadetkrai has delivered his popular Maths Through Stories training workshop to almost 500 in-service teachers at schools and around 2,000 teacher trainees at 30 universities cross the UK.

​Steering Committee

This research project is designed by Dr. Trakulphadetkrai in collaboration with the project's Steering Committee which is made up of Headteachers, Deputy Heads and Mathematics Co-ordinators of primary schools in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire. 

Hover your mouse over the photos below for more details of the Steering Committee's members. Members are listed alphabetically by their first name. 
Ashleigh Jackson (Mathematics Co-ordinator, The Palmer Academy, Berkshire)
Ben Robinson (Mathematics Co-ordinator, All Saints CE Junior School, Berkshire)
Carol Collins (Mathematics Co-ordinator, Francis Baily Primary School, Berkshire)
Dr. Claire Shorrock (Mathematics Co-ordinator, Ladygrove Park Primary School, Oxfordshire & Local Leader of Maths Education, Maths Hubs)
Claire Ward (Mathematics Co-ordinator, Basildon Primary School, Berkshire)
Duncan Holland (Deputy Head and Mathematics Co-ordinator, Oaklands Junior School, Berkshire)
Jane Girle (Headteacher, Penn Wood Primary School, Berkshire)
Kim Jones (Mathematics Co-ordinator, St. Nicolas CE Combined School, Buckinghamshire)
Linda Bendall (Mathematics Co-ordinator, Windmill Primary School, Berkshire)
Mark Hamilton (Mathematics Co-ordinator, Charvil Piggott Primary School, Berkshire)
Sarah Brown (Mathematics Co-ordinator, Greenfields Junior School, Hampshire)
Stefan Morsley (Mathematics Co-ordinator, Kennet Valley Primary School, Berkshire)

Research Assistant

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Cecilia Muldoon
Doctoral candidate
Institute of Education, University of Reading

Nature of data collection

Year 4 classes in the study are randomly assigned to either one of the three cohorts: Baseline A, Baseline B and Intervention. Details of each cohort can be found below. 

Timeline

November - December 2019     Recruiting schools for the research project + Headteachers and Year 4 teachers of participating schools to sign and return the Consent Forms

First two weeks of January 2020    Sending ethics paperworks to parents and students 

Mid-January 2020    Conducting pre-test (one hour per class)

Last week of January to mid-February 2020     Implementing the study

End of February to mid-March 2020    Conducting post-test ​(one hour per class)

March 2020    Interview with some of the students and teachers in the Baseline A and Intervention cohorts

End of April to mid-May 2020    Conducting delayed post-test (one hour per class)

May - June 2020    Analysing the data

July - August 2020   Writing up the report
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​mathsthroughstories.org

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ABOUT US

MathsThroughStories.org is a non-profit and research-based initiative, based at the University of Reading's Institute of Education (UK).

It sets out to help mathematics learners around the world develop their conceptual understanding in mathematics and to help them foster positive attitudes towards the subject through  the power of storytelling.

Contact Us

  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • RESEARCH TEAM
    • On-line Contributors
    • Research Dissemination
    • Research Impact
    • SHOUTOUTS
    • Teacher Training / CPD Services
    • MEDIA APPEARANCES
  • RESOURCES
    • RECOMMENDATIONS
    • BLOG
    • NEWSLETTER
    • BOOK REVIEWS >
      • BOOK REVIEWS
      • INSPECTION COPIES
    • LESSON IDEAS
    • VIDEOS
    • CREATE YOUR OWN MATHEMATICAL STORIES >
      • GUIDELINE FOR MATHEMATICAL STORY AUTHORS
      • INTERVIEWS WITH MATHEMATICAL STORY AUTHORS
    • 'HOW TO' BOOKS
    • RESEARCH ARTICLES
    • PRACTITIONER-ORIENTED ARTICLES
  • COMPETITIONS
    • 2022 YMSA WINNING, SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED ENTRIES
    • 2021 YMSA WINNING, SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED ENTRIES
    • 2020 YMSA WINNING, SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED ENTRIES
    • 2019 YMSA WINNING AND SHORTLISTED ENTRIES
  • NEWS
  • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED