The study of mathematics is mandatory from Kindergarten to Year 10.
By studying mathematics, students develop knowledge, skills and understanding of mathematical concepts and their use within the classroom and beyond.
The syllabus consists of the following strands:
- number and algebra
- measurement and geometry
- statistics and probability.
Organisation of Mathematics K–10
The syllabus structure illustrates the important role Working mathematically plays across all areas of mathematics and reflects the strengthened connections between concepts. Working mathematically has been embedded in the outcomes, content and examples of the syllabus.
Mathematics K–10 outcomes and their related content are organised in:
- Number and algebra
- Measurement and space
- Statistics and probability
Working mathematically
The Working mathematically processes present in the Mathematics K–10 syllabus are:
- communicating
- understanding and fluency
- reasoning
- problem solving.
Students learn to work mathematically by using these processes in an interconnected way. The coordinated development of these processes results in students becoming mathematically proficient.
When students are Working mathematically it is important to help them to reflect on how they have used their thinking to solve problems. This assists students to develop ‘mathematical habits of mind’ (Cuoco et al. 2010).
Students need many experiences that require them to relate their knowledge to the vocabulary and conceptual frameworks of mathematics.
Overarching Working mathematically outcome
To highlight how these processes are interrelated, in Mathematics K–10 there is one overarching Working mathematically outcome.
A student develops understanding and fluency in mathematics through:
- exploring and connecting mathematical concepts
- choosing and applying mathematical techniques to solve problems
- communicating their thinking and reasoning coherently and clearly.
The Working mathematically outcome describes the thinking and doing of mathematics. In doing so, the outcome indicates the breadth of mathematical actions that teachers need to emphasise. The overarching Working mathematically outcome is the same across the K–10 Mathematics syllabus.
The Working mathematically processes should be embedded within the concepts being taught. Embedding Working mathematically ensures students are able to fluently understand concepts and make connections to other focus areas. The mathematics focus area outcomes and content provide the knowledge and skills for students to 'reason about', and contexts for problem solving. The overarching Working mathematically outcome is assessed in conjunction with the mathematics content outcomes. The sophistication of Working mathematically processes develops through each stage of learning and can be observed in relation to the increase in complexity of the mathematics outcomes and content. A student's level of competence in Working mathematically can be monitored over time, for example, within Additive Relations by the choice of strategy appropriate to the task, and the use of efficient strategy for the stage of learning the student is working at.
Further information is available in Elaborating on Working mathematically in K–10 (Word, 5 pages, 914.28 kB).
K–6 Parts A and B
Mathematics focus areas outline the development of several concepts. In Mathematics K–6, where stages span 2 years of learning (for example, Stage 2 includes Year 3 and Year 4), there are concepts that may need to be addressed earlier or later in the stage.
To assist programming, the content in these focus areas has been separated into 2 parts, A and B, such as in Representing Numbers Using Place Value – A and Representing Numbers Using Place Value – B:
- Part A typically focuses on early concept development
- Part B builds on these early concepts.
The content across Parts A and B relates to the same stage-based outcomes. Teachers can choose which content from Part A and/or Part B to address, based on students’ prior learning, needs and abilities.
For example, in Stage 2, Part A does not equate to Year 3 only. When teaching a Year 4 class, the teacher may need to address or consolidate some concepts within Part A prior to addressing concepts in Part B. Similarly, when teaching a Year 3 class, the teacher may decide to address concepts in Part B based on the students’ prior learning, needs and abilities.
The Part A and Part B structure of the content:
- provides flexibility for teachers in planning teaching and learning programs based on the needs and abilities of students
- helps to better visualise the progression and growth of concepts within a stage of learning
- makes clear how content builds to support deep understanding in each focus area.
Considerations for planning teaching and learning programs include:
- when students may have learnt some concepts from Part B content in the first year of a stage, consolidation of these concepts in the second year of a stage may be needed
- revisiting concepts regularly to build deeper understanding of mathematical concepts
- providing extension of certain concepts based on students’ needs and abilities.
Making connections through related content K–6
Many connections exist between the focus areas in mathematics. Skills and knowledge for focus areas often develop in an interrelated manner and can be addressed in parallel.
Within the context of the syllabus, ‘in parallel’ means teaching:
- multiple focus areas at the same time
- parallel content in a sequential manner
- application of knowledge, understanding and skills through interrelated focus areas.
Addressing outcomes in parallel enables teachers to efficiently teach and assess essential concepts within the syllabus content while supporting students to make connections with their learning.
Examples of outcomes and content that could be addressed in parallel are identified for each focus area. These are not an exhaustive list of ways that knowledge, understanding and skills are related or can be taught in parallel.
Mathematics K–10 - Course overview | NSW Curriculum | NSW Education Standards Authority