Teach Middle East Magazine Jan-Feb 2018 Issue 3 Volume 5 | Page 28

USING DIGITAL RESOURCES TO COMPLEMENT CLASSROOM TEACHING provides the necessary motivation as students can see their own progress easily.’ Winning solution The younger students (up to Grade 5) have a dedicated Mathletics period each week. Every student has access to an iPad for the Mathletics session and for one other session during the week. Grades 6 to 12 do not have a dedicated Mathletics lesson, but will usually use the resource as part of their homework. Karen finds that the reports are very useful for highlighting students’ strengths and weaknesses. She can keep track of how many students are using the resource and can compare the performance of different groups. ‘Using Mathletics has become second nature to our teachers now.’ Results D igital resources are designed to increase student engagement and motivate pupils to learn. To help pupils excel, these resources need to complement the classroom teaching already taking place in schools. Figuring out how best to embed a new resource into the teaching cycle can be a challenge for teachers and take up a lot of their time. The key to overcoming this is investing in a resource that offers more than just great educational content but also tools to help teachers assign work to students, schedule activities and plan ahead. At the Nibras International School in Dubai, teachers using Mathletics (a maths resource) have found that a combination of online reports which help identify strengths and weaknesses, a s well as immediate student feedback has enabled them to embed the resource into their teaching seamlessly. About the school Nibras International School (NIS) was established in 2005 and offers an American Curriculum for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. The initial curriculum was designed in 26 | Jan - Feb 2018 | | consultation with the American University of Beirut (AUB). Since 2012- 2013 the school has adopted the Colorado State Academic Standards which are aligned with the US Common Core Standards. The Issues Faced The school was looking for a digital learning tool to complement maths teaching, align with the curricula and offer opportunities to practise and reinforce topics and skills. Given the transient nature of Dubai and the fluctuating student population, it was equally important for teachers to identify strengths and weaknesses in the skills and knowledge of all new students quickly and easily. The requirement for a product that could offer students feedback, reward their achievements and involve parents in the learning process was a main priority for the school. ‘Mathletics gives immediate results and students can witness their own performance,’ said Karen Robinson, Assistant Principal Elementary and Middle School. ‘Students practise and master a skill, answer questions, earn points, get a certificate and move on. Mathletics Class Time Mathletics has many advantages: • It is a very visual learning tool • It engages students • It develops problem solving skills • It supports the focus on mental maths with the younger children • It encourages a healthy spirit of competition ‘Students look forward to their Mathletics lesson and it is heart- warming to witness our students as they are keen to log in quickly and get started. It also minimises any possible disruption at the start of a lesson as students are extremely enthusiastic and get straight down to work.’ If you would like to find out more about Mathletics and trial the resource for free, visit www.mathletics.me or email [email protected]