
NCETM Twitter chats #mathscpdchat - every Tuesday from 7pm to 8pm
These weekly, Twitter-based chats are designed to engage UK maths teachers of all age-groups – including, of course, primary and trainee teachers – as well as all amaths education professionals involved in helping teachers with their initial and ongoing professional learning.
Each chat is centred on a specific theme, always relevant to maths professional development, and gently steered by a moderator from the maths education community. We welcome all suggestions for discussion themes, and offers of volunteer moderators. These can be emailed to us at info@ncetm.org.uk, or tweet us at either @mathscpdchat or @NCETM, or use the Comments box at the bottom of this page.
The weekly discussions are grouped together under the hashtag #mathscpdchat (see How to take part in a discussion below for more explanation) and set in motion by the NCETM's @mathscpdchat Twitter account. A record of all contributions to each discussion can be found in the archive below.
If you need more information or assistance, please do contact us: we'll be happy to help!
How to take part in a discussion
- First of all, if you haven’t already got one, you will need a Twitter account of your own. When you’ve got one, make sure you follow @NCETM, along with any other people or organisations who interest you. Twitter has its own tour as well as a getting started guide
- Include the hashtag #mathscpdchat in all of your Tweets during the discussion
- You will also need a means of ensuring that you can see all other Tweets that include #mathscpdchat, as well Tweets from the people you choose to follow. One option to achieve this (at no cost) is TweetDeck.
- Join the discussion and have your say
- Watch this page for details of how to read archived versions of all weekly chats
- Spread the word to anyone interested in maths CPD.
Forthcoming discussion dates and topics
We are always interested in suggested topics and/or volunteer hosts. Suggestions/offers to info@ncetm.org.uk or tweet us @mathscpdchat.
Date |
Discussion topic |
19 Feb |
Half term break |
Previous Chats
These are the discussions held from 2018 onwards. Summaries of all chats prior to May 2018 were originally created using the online tool Storify, which ceased operation at the end of April 2018. Shortly before Storify was taken out of service, we extracted each summary as a PDF document, embedded in the links below.
Summaries of all chats 2013-17 are available here.
Click the headings to sort the columns in ascending or descending order
Date |
Discussion topic |
2018-01-09090118 |
Books about teaching maths: which have really helped you and why? Hosted by @martynyeouk |
2018-01-16160118 |
Teaching money management skills: is it the job of teachers? If so, how best to do it? Hosted by @HeatherMassey2 |
2018-01-23230118 |
Assessment in maths: how to support learning without adding to workload? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2018-01-30300118 |
Manipulatives as learning aids: which could you not do without, and why? Hosted by @martynyeouk |
2018-02-06060218 |
Supporting trainee teachers: how best to give constructive feedback as a mentor or host? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2018-02-20200218 |
Behaviour management: how can you create an environment in which pupils’ behaviour contributes to learning in maths lessons? Hosted by @MrMattock |
2018-02-27270218 |
Learning about fractions from Y5 to Y8: how to establish continuity of conceptual development? Hosted by @p4ssionform4ths |
2018-03-06060318 |
How to get pupils to ask their own mathematical questions? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2018-03-13130318 |
Different teaching strategies in single-sex versus mixed maths classes? Surely not! Discuss. Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2018-03-20200318 |
How best to support teachers with maths-knowledge anxiety? Hosted by @martynyeouk |
2018-03-27270318 |
What is the best way to plan a maths lesson? Hosted by @MrsMathematica |
2018-04-17170418 |
Revision classes for SATs: a good use of time? Hosted by @martynyeouk |
2018-04-17240418 |
Simultaneous equations: how best to help pupils master them? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2018-05-01010518 |
The problem-solving and reasoning aspects of GCSE: how are you preparing pupils (particularly those with previous low attainment)? Hosted by @HelmeRachel |
2018-05-08080518 |
What (if anything) is different about the way you teach maths this year? Why the change? Has it worked? Hosted by @martynyeouk |
2018-05-15150518 |
Teaching maths during your first few years: what, or who, was most helpful? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2018-05-22220518 |
Variation within pupils’ tasks: what does this mean to you, and how best to use it? Hosted by @mathsmrgordon |
2018-06-55050618 |
The NCETM’s Numberblocks Support Materials: how would you use them? Hosted by @martynyeouk (the materials are at https://www.ncetm.org.uk/numberblocks). |
2018-06-12120618 |
What do we mean by ‘Secondary readiness’ in relation to mathematics? Host: @Arithmaticks |
2018-06-19190618 |
Discussion initiated by an item from NCETM’s Questions, tasks and activities to support assessment: Year 6:
What further questions, such as 'Why...', 'What happens if...' could you ask to check that pupils really understand the ideas involved, and can use their understanding to solve a variety of problems?

Host: @mrmarchayes - a summary of the discussion is here.
|
2018-06-26260618 |
Time to ditch SOHCAHTOA? How to support deep understanding in trigonometry? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2018-07-03030718 |
Two GCSE exam seasons now behind us: are we feeling clearer about what, and how we should teach? Hosted by @mathsmumof2 |
2018-07-10100718 |
Algebra without letters? How to introduce algebra without ‘letters-instead-of-numbers' spooking students? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2018-07-17170718 |
Number lines: how/why do you use them? Hosted by @martynyeouk |
2018-09-11110918 |
Experienced teachers: what ‘advice’ do you give to NQTs at the start of the school year? NQTs: what sort of advice would help you? Hosted by @Arithmaticks. |
2018-09-18180918 |
GCSE Maths: what did this year’s results teach you, and how might you refine your teaching accordingly? Hosted by @RJS2212. |
2018-09-25250918 |
What is mathematical ‘play’? In lessons, do you deliberately (for a purpose) provide opportunities for learners to ‘play’ mathematically? Hosted by @martynyeouk. |
2018-10-02021018 |
What, if anything, does ‘Cognitive Load Theory’ (CLT) mean to you? Does it feature in your lesson planning and classroom interactions? Hosted by @MrMattock. |
2018-10-09091018 |
What is revision of mathematics? Why, how, where and when to do it? Should you even do it? Hosted by @tessmaths |
2018-10-16161018 |
Y6 to Y7 transfer: what ‘issues’ for the mathematics learning of your pupils have you coped with this year? How? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2018-10-23231018 |
Half term break |
2018-10-30301018 |
Preparing KS4 students for maths courses that start in Y12: how best to do it? Hosted by @mathscpdchat |
2018-11-06061118 |
Early number sense: how do you help pupils develop it? Hosted by @martynyeouk |
2018-11-13131118 |
Mathematical sequences: how do you teach pupils to understand and use them? Hosted by Kathryn Darwin @Arithmaticks |
2018-11-20201118 |
Using calculators to support deep understanding. Hosted by @AlisonHopper68 |
2018-11-27271118 |
Mathematical applications and websites for pupils to use at home: what would you recommend to a parent, and why? Hosted by @martynyeouk |
2018-12-04041218 |
How do pupils learn to understand and use indices and surds? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2018-12-11111218 |
'People Maths'...pupils acting out mathematical ideas and problem-solutions: what works well? Hosted by @JennyHillParker |
2018-12-18181218 |
What’s gone well for you in maths lessons this term? Which teaching strategies, materials, problems, lessons, … have worked particularly well with your pupils this term? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2019-01-08080119 |
How are you helping pupils develop mathematical-reasoning skills? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2019-01-15150119 |
‘Which one doesn’t belong?’ (WODB) challenges: do you use them? If so, how? Hosted by @martynyeouk |
2019-01-22220119 |
Multiplicative reasoning: the key to fluency and deeper understanding. How do you help pupils acquire it? Hosted by @AlisonHopper68 |
2019-01-29290119 |
How do you interpret ‘retrieval practice’ and ‘interleaving’? Ideas for the classroom? Hosted by @JennyHillParker |
2019-02-05050219 |
Natural tensions in the mathematics classroom: how do you manage them? Hosted by @Arithmaticks |
2019-02-12120219 |
Hooking them in! What are great ways to start a maths lesson? Hosted by @RJS2212 |
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