In Mauritius, our education system is based on the contents found in the National Curriculum

Framework (NCF) which is issued with the authorization of the Ministry of Education. It projects the
targeted learning outcomes of all subjects by which school programs are designed accordingly. In the
context of numeracy, Mathematics is the concerning subject area. Numeracy refers to the knowledge
and skills that children require to use Mathematics in the real world to make the best possible decisions.
Therefore, to ensure that pupils have attained mathematical proficiency at primary school level, NCF
has defined nine components which should be embedded in our learners. These components are
modeling, logical reasoning, conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic thinking, efficient
problem solving, communication and representation. If pupils are struggling in any of these
components, this might indicate that they are facing some learning difficulties.

In the below mind map, we can have a clear vision of the learning difficulties in relation to numeracy
which are present in lower primary grades:
It is common for pupils to face learning difficulties in mathematical learning process and for this
purpose, upon the implementation of Nine Year Continuous Basic Education (NYCBE), support
teachers have been employed to address these issues. However, it is crucial to determine the source of
the problem before tackling it. The following below are the factors that act as a barrier in the learning
of numeracy among most pupils:

I. Inappropriate teaching and teaching strategies/ approaches

Teachers, being human, might commit mistakes in their teaching. Certain educators might not
consider or be aware that a child is facing learning difficulties in English as well as
Mathematics thus while teaching numeracy, thus they might explain topics in English which
might act as language barrier. In other situations, teachers might use inappropriate wordings
while explaining mathematical concepts which further creates confusion in the children’s mind
(Paul, 2015). It has also happened that educators teach numeracy verbally which make the
teaching ineffective. They should rather implement the CPA approach which is considered the
best approach to break abstract and complex concepts into concrete and simple for our learners.

II. Behavioral flaws

According to a study by Education Endowment Foundation (2020), there should be certain
decorum present in our learners in order to foster effective learning. A classroom may provide a
conducive environment to learn but unsuitable behavior of pupils can ruin the classroom
dynamics. The root causes of these negative behaviors are usually boredom, low academic self-
esteem, emotional difficulties and poor attitudes. Therefore, while displaying such
misdemeanors, these pupils do not assimilate what is being taught in the class. Thus, as a result,
they face learning difficulties in their educational journey.

III. Broken families/ Trauma

As per the Economic and Social Indicators statistic report, the divorce rate has rose up to 3.9%
in 2022 which makes a total of 2,462 divorces. Among them, 69.9% couples had up to 2
children and 46 couples had 4 or more children. Furthermore, there were 9,055 people being
victims of homicides, domestic violence and sexual assaults. Most probably, children relating to
these families might be going through bad phases due familial and emotional instability. These
are the leading causes for children going through mental trauma and as a result, there are
numerous children that require the help of school psychologist. Thus, if children are not
 mentally and emotionally stable, then it is obvious they would not be in an eligible position to
acquire knowledge which make them prone to have learning difficulties.

Support teachers work in the best interest of the children to facilitate their learning journey however,
they should be duly supported by the school management as this poses as a motivational element to
produce the best possible outcome and I am fortunate to have such a dynamic team in my school. For
my on-the-job training, I have been posted at Bon Accueil Government school (BAGS) which is
situated at School lane, Bon-Accueil. The school population is at 337 pupils in total with a staff of 30
teaching & 10 non-teaching staffs. The primary school exudes an atmosphere of enthusiasm, with
brightly colored walls and cheerful artwork adorning the hallways. A positive ambiance prevails,
fostering a sense of collaboration among students and staff, especially in classrooms which are
designed to be comfortable and conducive to learning, with ergonomic furniture and interactive
displays. The headmaster is very supportive towards all the school staff and leaves no stone unturned to
provide resources for learning purposes. The school environment makes BAGS an eye-opening
learning hub where children not only learn but also develop the 21st century skills set by the Ministry of
Education (NCF, 2016).

Pupil A - Shivam Pupil B - Sulaksh

General description: General description:

Shivam is in grade 1. He comes from a stable and Sulaksh is in grade 2 and he hails from a
decent family. He is participative in class supportive family who aids him in his learning
especially when it comes to digital games as he is process. He is a tactile learner as he understands
very fond of them. He has the eagerness to learn, mathematical concepts by touching and doing.
however, he has attention deficit issues, therefore, Being such a learner, he is not able to cope the
if the class or explanation is not appealing to him, pace of the class as he needs time and hands-on
he will get bored and eventually sleep during the activities to grasp knowledge.
lesson.

Learning Difficulty: Learning Difficulty:

Shivam is going through trouble in the number Sulaksh understands certain shapes such as
sense part as he is stumbling while doing addition triangle and circle but is confused between square
for single digit numbers. The addition symbol is and rectangle as he is not able to distinguish the
an abstract concept for him as he does not know difference. He lacks the logical reasoning which
what this symbol exactly means. He also has will allow him to do the difference.
procedural issues as he does not know the correct
steps to tackle an addition equation.

Prior Knowledge: Prior Knowledge:

He has already mastered number recognition at He knows already two shape attributes which are
his level colour and size and he understands measurement
of length using non-standardized units.

Being a support teacher, we need to be very sure and accurate when coming to terms on to which extent
pupils have been able to capture knowledge and areas where they are stuck. Therefore, according to
Formplus survey (2021), before reaching to that conclusion, we need to conduct a diagnostic test and
for that, we should implement the diagnostic tools. In my case, I have conducted the same test for both
of my pupils by utilizing the following tools:

1. Direct Observation
Pupil A Pupil B
Through direct observation, I was able to see that Through direction observation, I noticed that
Shivam was re-writing the addition equation in the Sulaksh has completed his shape matching
answer box. This is where I make a guess that he whereby he mismatched square with rectangle.
is struggling.

Justification for use of this diagnostic tool:

I chose this tool as it allowed me to not only view their worksheets but I could also see his anxiety and
nervousness while attempting the respective activities.
2. Questioning
Pupil A Pupil B
Through questioning, I diagnosed that he is able to Through questioning, I could see that Sulaksh
read the equation but he does not know what the does not the difference between square and
addition symbol means. rectangle.

Justification for use of this diagnostic tool:

I chose this tool as it helps me to have a better insight into what my pupils thinks concerning the lesson
taught.

3. Single Proficiency Test

Pupil A Pupil B
I used Single Proficiency Test to analyze if he is I did this test to check if whether he can write the
proficient in basic counting principles and the shape names and this case too, the result was
response was positive. positive.
Justification for use of this diagnostic tool:
I used this tool to ascertain to allow me have a clear picture on the extent they have mastered the prior
knowledge relating to their respective learning domain.

4. Multiple Proficiency Test

Pupil A Pupil B
In Multiple Proficiency Test, I tested other areas In Multiple Proficiency Test, I verified his
which are important to conduct an addition. I proficiency areas such as shape name writing,
deduced that he has not understood the concept of shape counting and he was doing fine but when I
addition. checked his shape drawing, I noticed that he drew
both square and rectangle similarly.
Justification for use of this diagnostic tool:
I chose this tool as the children cleared the single proficiency test which indicates that they have a
sound comprehension concerning their main basic prior knowledge. Therefore, in order to establish an
understanding their learning difficulties, I had to test them in other learning areas which are equally
important and through this technique, I was able to spot the root cause of their problems.
5. Newmann’s Error Analysis
Pupil A Pupil B
This tool was used as it is a well-defined structure This tool was used as it is a well-detailed structure
to analyze if there are any further difficulties to analyze if there are any other factor posing as
being faced by Shivam in his learning process. obstacle which is leading to his confusion between
square and rectangle.

Justification for use of this diagnostic tool:

Sometimes even teachers might commit mistakes in analyzing the learning difficulties of children.
Therefore, just to be on the safe side, I used this tool to cross-check and confirm that indeed, these are
parts where they are struggling.
After having identified the problem through these diagnostic tools, I now proceed towards the
intervention strategies to solve the difficulties of my learners and therefore, I prepare both lesson plans
accordingly for each pupil along with their follow-up plans.

Lesson Plan - Pupil A

Subject: Mathematics
Grade: 1
Topic: Numbers
Sub-Topic: Addition of single digit numbers

Aim: To develop the learner’s understanding on addition.

Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the child should be able to:
(i) understand the addition concept
(ii) add 2 single digit numbers, not exceeding 10.

Teaching strategy/ approach :ICT-based and Differentiated instruction approach

Resources: Laptop
Prior Knowledge: Proficient in number recognition and counting principles.

Procedure:
(1) Intervention Strategy #1: Mini Lesson
After having greeted my learners and before starting my activity, I have performed a mini lesson to
refresh the memory of the child as this provides the opportunity to Shivam to recall or learn any
knowledge which he had missed or forgotten.

(2) Intervention Strategy #2 & #3: ICT-based activity & Visual presentation
Keeping in mind that Shivam adores digital games, I have organized an online maths game on addition
which create a bond of trust that his support teacher cares for his likes and at the same time, he will be
engaged and more focused in the activity.

I have also made use of visual presentation so that the child gets an idea that the number equation has
been replaced by same amount of pictures. Therefore, he found it easy to carry out the activity as the
abstract concept has been simplified through pictures. The following below is the online game:

(3) Intervention Strategy #3: Differentiated Instruction

For this activity, I have tailored the procedural instructions according to Shivam’s interests, needs and
strengths. I have made sure that I provide him with short and simple sentences which he has to follow
and apply.

a) Read the question aloud

b) Count the number of visuals

c) Point your finger at the correct answer

d) Click the correct answer

e) Check if the answer is right –A ‘yes’ appears upon good answer (Please see red circle below)
(4) Intervention Strategy #4: Peer Collaboration
To increase his engagement level, I have paired him with his friend in the support class, with whom he
can interact so that he can get an extra support as sometimes, pupils learn better through peers.

(5) Intervention Strategy #5: Guided Teaching

Despite being in pair, Shivam has faced some difficulties while doing this activity as it relates to a
topic in which he is struggling and might further forget or skip an instruction in the process. Therefore,
I have guided him through this exercise only when he faced trouble.

Evaluation:
Out of a period of 50 minutes, I have let Shivam do this activity continuously for 40 minutes as he was
totally engaged in it. The repeated exercises proved to be in his favor as he appeared to be more
confident. He was solving the addition equation very smoothly. For the rest of 10 minutes, I used the
questioning approach to have an overview what he learnt through this game. The response was quite
positive as he understood that addition refers to putting all objects together to get a total number,
however, there were still some undiscovered areas.

I noticed that Shivam was not paying attention to the equation as such because he would just count the
number of visual objects and select the answer which is undoubtedly an inappropriate way of doing the
calculations. He was dependent on the images. Therefore, I deduced that he has understood the
addition concept but he is not attempting the question as it should be thus leading to a procedural issue.
Therefore, I will plan for a follow-up plan to remediate this problem.

Follow-up plan:
For the next numeracy class, I will do another simple activity which would address the remaining
learning problems. The activity will be as follows:

(i) I will write an equation on Shivam’s slate for e.g 3+2=

(ii) Then I will provide him the following instruction:
- Place the chips below the numbers (He will place 3 chips in a line below the no 3 and place 2
chips below the no2 in the equations respectively)
 - Count the total number of chips

- Write the answer

Hopefully, this will help us to understand to work out addition equations on a step-wise basis.

Justification for intervention and teaching strategies used in this lesson plan:

1. Mini lesson – It was served as a means to recapitulate and refresh the memory of the child or catch
up with the parts of the lessons that he missed due to attention deficit problem.

2. ICT-based activity – This teaching strategy was selected in the best interest of Shivam to gain his
attention. Being a digital game lover, he was fascinated by this activity and I managed to get him fully
engaged in it as he was motivated to get the right answer.

3. Visual presentation – Visuals work excellent in numeracy as it brings abstract concept to pictorial
level which facilitates learning.

4. Differentiated Instruction – Tailored instructions set according the child’s abilities, enables him to
use his particular strength in his best interest. Furthermore, he can apply these instructions in any
addition calculation which would allow him to reach the correct answer.

5. Peer Collaboration – This approach entails the involvement of his peers which can promote
educational discussions before reaching to the final answer, thus adding value to his knowledge.

6. Guided Teaching – It has been used to allow me to observe and analyze in which areas he is
struggling and help him but at the same time, see if there is any progress during the activity.
 Lesson Plan - Pupil B

Subject: Mathematics
Grade: 2
Topic: Shapes
Sub-Topic: Shape recognition
Aim: To acquire better apprehension on shape recognition
Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the child should be able to distinguish between square and
rectangle.
Teaching strategy/ approach : Multi-Sensory approach (Visual & Tactile) and hands-on activity
Resources: 2 plastic containers, Bristol papers and scissors
Prior Knowledge: (1) Knowledge on colours and size
(2) Can read and write all shapes

Procedure:
(1) Capturing their attention by triggering their attention
Upon entering the class and we greeted each other. At the same time, Shivam has noticed that there are
colorful manipulative on his table which has drawn his attention as he was excited and kept on asking
me what is he going to do today.

(2) Intervention Strategy #1: Hands-On Activity

At that moment, I introduced him the Hands-On activity whereby he has to sort the rectangle and
square shapes and put in them in their respective containers.

(3) Intervention Strategy #2 & #3: Multi-Sensory approach & Short and simple instructions
This activity is designed as per the learning style of Sulaksh. Being a tactile learner, he has used both
his senses such as vision and touch to analyse the characteristics of each shapes. I have used short and
simple instructions to facilitate the process. The activity is as follow:

(a) Put the blue square in the blue container

(b) Put the red rectangles in the red container
(4) Reward
In the end, Sulaksh has to empty the bags and see if all of the shapes are of same color as per their
respective bag. Once confirmed, we will all clap for Sulaksh to boost his confidence.

Evaluation:
The activity lasted for 50 minutes and he was really involved in this activity in this whole period. He
was very happy to see colorful resources. He indeed used his touch sense by moving his finger
throughout the edges of the shapes. He carried the activity successfully without much help, however,
while questioning him on the activity, he revealed that he conducted this activity based on color. He
was matching the shape colors with the container’s one and thus putting the shapes accordingly.
Therefore, the confusion between square and rectangle is still present for Sulaksh. Thus, I will prepare a
follow-up plan to address his learning difficulty.
Follow-up plan:
In the next class, I will provide a cut-out square and rectangle with Bristol paper. I will scaffold his
learning on shapes using his prior knowledge on measurements using non-standardized units for length.
I will provide him some small sticks (approximately 3cm long) with which he will measure the length
of the side of both the square and rectangle. If he does it correctly as expected, he will find that the
square of 1 stick long while the rectangle is 3 sticks long. Therefore, he should be able to deduce that a
rectangle is longer than a square.

Justification for intervention and teaching strategies used in this lesson plan:

1. Hands-On Activity – This type of activity is an opportunity for Sulaksh to learn by doing things and
thus solve problems relatively.

2. Multi-Sensory approach – It used to allow Sulaksh to use his forte to be able to comprehend and
interpret information with the use of his senses.

2. Short and simple instructions – For slow learners, instructions should be short and simple to
ensure that they understand what is expected from them.
References

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insufficient-inaccurate-and-inert-prior-knowledge/ (Accessed: 11 November 2023).

 Smith, Catherine. “Why Do Students with Disability Go to “Special Schools” When Research
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 Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). “What Are Learning Behaviours?”

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