Fluency is an important aspect of mathematics learning and plays a major role in developing proficiency as students are required to use skills and apply knowledge. This paper draws upon findings from a large project that aimed to explore primary students' mathematical fluency. Data from 160 primary students (K-6) from a NSW Departmental school…

Numeracy Skills testing was brought to the forefront following the Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers report in 2015. The announcement was met with much concern by many pre-service teachers (PSTs). Given the body of research associated with mathematics anxiety and assessment, which suggests that students' self-efficacy and confidence in their…

There has been a lot of media attention about 'out-of-field' teaching, but much of it does not capture the complexities of the term or account for the range of knowledge, experience, and attitudes relevant for teaching mathematics in the middle years. In this paper we report on a survey conducted to better understand the diversity of the…

This document presents the proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA). The theme of this conference is "Navigating Currents and Charting Directions." The theme reminds us that, although we are constantly pushed to account for the quality and impact of our research, we…

It is well accepted and understood amongst the mathematics education community that numeracy is the responsibility of all teachers, across all levels of schooling. However, the way numeracy is understood and actioned across the Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary contexts is different. This paper reports on a case study of secondary school…

This study evaluated pre-service teachers' (PSMTs) perceptions of their own readiness to teach secondary mathematics. The study was conducted at an Australian university across two campuses, in different states. Specifically, PSMTs' perceptions of their preparedness were explored in terms of mathematical content knowledge, pedagogical content…

This paper reports results from an investigation of the impact of an intervention program which was designed to help underperforming students reengage in mathematics learning. The paper outlines teacher and tutor perceptions of the program's impact on students who participated in the intervention which intends to "get students ready" for…

This paper presents initial data from a study being undertaken into the potential effects of a mentoring program for teacher education students who have self-identified as suffering from mathematics anxiety. The first phase of the study saw 8 primary teacher education students opt into a program matching them in pairs with 4 mentor teachers who…

Australian teachers, recruited via Facebook, completed an online survey about aspects of numeracy. The survey was designed to explore views on numeracy and capacity to respond to numeracy tasks. In this paper, we focus primarily on responses to two numeracy tasks--one numerical, the other requiring critical evaluation. On the first item, 40%…

In 2015, a new MTeach coursework unit, "Numeracy for Learners and Teachers," was introduced at Monash University. The impetuses for this unit were the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership numeracy standards for graduate teachers, and the inclusion of numeracy as a general capability in the Australian Curriculum. In…

Increasing numbers of primary pre-service teachers (PSTs) enrolled in Education degrees in Australia enter university with insufficient mathematical content knowledge (Livy & Vale, 2011) and low confidence levels about their ability to teach and do the mathematics required for their intended role as classroom teachers (Wilson, 2009). Mentoring…

"Let's Count" is a preschool mathematics intervention implemented by The Smith Family from 2012 to the present in "disdvantaged" communities across Australia. It is based on current mathematics and early childhood education research and aligns with the Early Years Learning Framework. Let's Count has been shown to be effective…

It is essential that pre-service teacher educators address pre-service teacher numeracy but with careful consideration as it incorporates more than mathematics skills. Numeracy also involves disposition towards mathematics--attitudes, confidence and mathematics anxiety; that is, the level of willingness to use mathematics skills. As part of an…

The Swan Valley Cluster of schools for the Make It Count project identified the professional learning of teachers and teaching assistants as a key factor in improving numeracy outcomes for urban Indigenous children. Initial training for assistants began in late 2010 and took the form of workshops based on a modified First Steps in Mathematics…

This study explores the effects of a vocational education-based program on academic motivation and engagement of primary school aged children. The Get Into Vocational Education (GIVE) program integrated "construction" and the mathematics, English and science lessons of a Year 4 primary classroom. This paper focuses on investigating the…