PowerPoint for Basic Facts Maths

Amavi Mey

Owairaka District School

18 May 2009

Background

• iKan Maths test at start of year. Children bewildered at speed at which the slides changed.

• Discussed at team meeting and decided we would try and do basic facts tests using PowerPoint so children get used to it. The speed would be a good indicator of whether it was truly knowledge.

Children

• 23 children, Years 2 and 3.

• 4 Maths groups. 2 groups for basic facts tests – currently one focusing on addition and the other on multiplication.

What happensStep Before Now

1. Monday: children write down spelling and basic facts. Learn throughout the week.

Same

2. Friday: test. Teacher reads questions, children write down questions and answers

Friday: test using PowerPoint. Teacher reads questions. Children look at screen/whiteboard. Write down answers only. Slides transition every 3 seconds (same as iKan).

3. Teacher marks tests Children mark tests. Pencils collected and pens handed out.

4. Results/feedback to children the following Monday.

Feedback is immediate.

Stages in implementation• Initially, gave children 15 seconds per slide. Reduced

this over time.– Initially, both basic facts and times table question on same slide.– Fastest I could read out 2 questions on one slide was 8 seconds.– Changed to 1 question per slide so I could speed up the

transition to 3 seconds. Addition test first and then multiplication test.

• Tried to have children marking each other’s test but this didn’t work.

• Use pens for marking so there is no possibility of cheating.

• Run through the slideshow twice so children get a chance to fill in some blanks or check their answers.

What the children think

• Split about whether they prefer it this way or the old way.

What they like What they don’t like

It’s fast It’s too fast! I need more time to think

I can see the numbers for myself

I don’t like turning around

What I think

What works well What doesn’t work wellHelps with noise control. They need to focus on the slides and my voice. Positive impact on spelling test.

Some children still try and write down the questions.

Feedback is immediate. When the technology fails, it takes time for children to get comfortable with it again.

Children appear to enjoy using pens and marking their own work.

Generally, there has been an improvement in children’s results but this is not necessarily attributable to the way the test is done.

Putting together your slides1. Open PowerPoint (instructions are for 2007 version)2. Select blank presentation3. Where it says “Click to add title”, drag that box to the

top of your page. Delete “Click to add subtitle”4. Enter your title (e.g. Basic facts Maths test)5. From the Home toolbar, select New Slide. In the Click

to add title box, type in your question (e.g. 1. 5 + 5 = )

6. Select the font size and change it to 96.7. Go to New Slide option and click down on the arrow to

select “Duplicate slide”. Simply change your question. Keep repeating until all your questions are on the slides.

8b. Enter the number of seconds you want per slide

8a. Once you have completed all questions, go to the Animations option

8c. Apply to all (so after 3 seconds, each slide will transition)

9. Go to the first slide and select slideshow to start the slideshow.

Next steps for Room 4

• Focus on getting all children to write down answers only.

• Start displaying weekly results and tracking class averages by week.

• Incorporate tests into Maths tumble.

The end.

Thanks for listening!