To what extent do curriculum subjects, particularly highly abstract ones such as Mathematics, have their own unique special needs?

This book celebrates the work done by subject specialists in mainstream classrooms to promote inclusive practice. It describes new and creative ways of developing mathematical thinking among pupils. Each chapter demonstrates reflective minds at work, close observation of learners, willingness to understand the students’ thinking process and patient commitment to students over long periods of time.

Features of the book include:

• how low-attaining students can think mathematically
• numeracy recovery
• task refusal in primary mathematics
• progression in written calculation strategies for division
• using graphic calculators with low-attaining pupils
• generalising arithmetic: an alternative to algebra
• learning support assistants in mathematics lessons
• inclusion and entitlement, equality of opportunity and quality of curriculum provision.

"Supporting Mathematical Thinking has been written to celebrate the enormous amount of work taking place in mainstream classrooms to promote inclusive approaches by mathematics specialists. I enjoyed reading this book and feel that this will be a very useful teaching resource to help in planning learning and finding creative ways of developing mathematical thinking among pupils." Support for Learning, February 2006 "Altogether I enjoyed this book much more than I had expected. Not only did it provide exhilaration, it seemed to sketch out an agenda for future work." Child Language Teaching and Therapy 22.2 (2006)

Anne Watson, Jenny Houssart, Caroline Roaf