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FunMaths Roadshow - Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a summary guide to using the Roadshow, based on our experience over the past 11 years of how it works best, and on feedback from schools we’ve visited.

• 350 activities, starting with those suitable for Year 1 and reaching up to Year 13, divided into fourteen Boxes of 25. The aim is to promote the exploration of and mathematical discussion of the problems encountered, as well as just solving them.

• Within each Box, activities vary in difficulty to cater for the differing abilities of participants.

• Two Boxes are normally used together; see age guide below for appropriate Boxes to suit a given year group.

• A hall, gym or canteen that can comfortably accommodate approximately 30 classroom tables, or 60 exam desks in pairs, is ideal. Tables should be arranged fairly randomly (not in rows), leaving adequate space for the pupils to circulate between them, and activities are placed in pairs on these.

• Chairs are strongly discouraged, as they represent a trip hazard.

• The optimal session length is 60 – 70 minutes.

• Sessions should begin with a brief introduction to explain the event. There is a sample speech included that we use and you may find it helpful to adapt this for your own needs.

• Helpers, who may be staff, older pupils or parents, should be equipped with solutions, and a pen or stamper pen.

• A helper: pupil ratio of about 1:10 is ideal, but a minimum of 1:15 is needed to work well.

• Pupils work in pairs or threes, each pupil having an appropriate response sheet (see table) with a grid of numbers that match the activities in use, self-selecting the activities that they attempt.

• For Year 1 and Year 2, it is strongly recommended that each pair or three has a Year 5 or Year 6 ‘mentor’, preferably one who has already taken part in a Roadshow first themselves, to accompany them and assist them with reading and understanding activities.

• Being allowed to progress at their own pace is important and no time limits are set for completion of individual activities.

• Helpers check participants’ answers and, if correct, stamp or initial the appropriate box on the response sheet; they may like to give a hint where necessary but, as with ‘mentors’ above, should avoid the temptation of completing activities themselves!

• Five minutes before the end of a session, pupils should be asked to reflect on the activities they’ve attempted, and answer the two questions at the bottom of the response sheet.

• Certificates are provided on the CD or with the Download and we find it beneficial for all participants to receive one; there is also a dedicated certificate to reward the efforts of any older pupils who have acted as helpers. This recognises the achievements of all involved, rather than there being prizes for ‘doing the most’.

NB Boxes 11 and 12 are our ‘Reality Maths’ Boxes. We have found Box 11 suitable for use with Year 9 upwards, and Box 12 to be suitable for Years 12 and 13. They are intended to show mathematics in more of a real-life context and, as such, those activities do not require a high level of technical knowledge. The appropriate Boxes could be substituted for one of the usual two used at a given age range.

This page was last updated on 17 August, 2013.
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