Page 42 - Mathematics GRADE 9, DE-STREAMED (MTH1W)

While a lesson may prominently feature one of these high-impact practices, other practices will inevitably also be involved. The practices are rarely used in isolation, nor is there any single “best” instructional practice. Teachers strategically choose the right practice, for the right time, in order to create an optimal learning experience for all students. They use their socio-cultural awareness of themselves and their students, a deep understanding of the curriculum and of the mathematics that underpins the expectations, and a variety of assessment strategies to determine which high-impact instructional practice, or combination of practices, best supports the students. These decisions are made continually throughout a lesson. The appropriate use of high-impact practices plays an important role in supporting student learning.
More information can be found in the resource section on high-impact practices in mathematics.
When teachers effectively implement Universal Design for Learning, differentiated instruction, and high- impact practices in mathematics programs, they create opportunities for students to develop mathematics knowledge and skills, to apply mathematical processes, and to develop transferable skills that can be applied in other curricular areas.
The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Mathematics
The mathematics curriculum was developed with the understanding that the strategic use of technology is part of a balanced mathematics program. Technology can extend and enrich teachers’ instructional strategies to support all students’ learning in mathematics. Technology, when used in a thoughtful manner, can support and foster the development of mathematical reasoning, problem solving, and communication. For some students, technology is essential and required to access curriculum.
When using technology to support the teaching and learning of mathematics, teachers consider the issues of student safety, privacy, ethical responsibility, equity and inclusion, and well-being.
The strategic use of technology to support the achievement of the curriculum expectations requires a strong understanding of:
• the mathematical concepts being addressed;
• high-impact teaching practices that can be used, as appropriate, to achieve the learning goals;
• the capacity of the chosen technology to augment the learning, and how to use this technology
effectively.
Technology (e.g., digital tools, computation devices, calculators, data-collection programs and coding environments) can be used specifically to support students’ thinking in mathematics, to develop conceptual understanding (e.g., visualization using virtual graphing or geometry tools), and to facilitate access to information and allow better communication and collaboration (e.g., collaborative documents
41