No Nonsense Maths Problems for Older Students

Solving word problems – from which it is necessary to infer details and extract facts rather than simply follow through the computation provided – can be a challenge for many students. With the No Nonsense Maths Problems series you can help them to meet this challenge through activities designed to help older students develop the reading, comprehension and maths skills they need. The word problems (or “story problems”) it contains guide students to apply the mathematical knowledge and strategies they have acquired in class to solve everyday problems. As well as sharpening their basic maths skills, the activities heighten students’ awareness of how we regularly encounter and solve such problems in the real world and increase their confidence with using basic maths in this process. Other vital skills that you can build through this series include higher-order thinking, critical problem-solving, and reasoning skills.

Ages: 11-14 years

About the Authors

Jude Callaghan

Jude Callaghan is an experienced, enthusiastic teacher with a passion for teaching and learning, and delivers teaching programmes that are innovative and exciting. Jude has embraced the Numeracy Development Programme wholeheartedly, and has joined the No Nonsense Number writing team to share her deep understanding and wealth of ideas.

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Jackie Andrews

Jackie Andrews is one of Essential Resources’ most successful authors, with many thousands of her books sold around the world. Her success is backed by her extensive teaching experience in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom. That experience, combined with her assiduous approach to professional development and passion for supporting teachers, drives her to create resources that improve student outcomes and inform best teaching practice. Jackie currently has 75 titles in print, a number of which have been translated into other languages. Her wider range of mathematics and English publications reflect the diversity of her expertise throughout primary school, as well as her ability to respond to the specific needs of particular age groups and ability levels. Supporting teachers in their curriculum planning is another specialty area. Jackie’s Curriculum Planning Made Easy series has been immensely popular with teachers looking for practical and effective ways of planning classroom programmes. It also led to the creation of iUgo – a digital solution that is reshaping the landscape of classroom planning and resource management. Jackie has been a key player in developing the usability of iUgo and in training teachers to get the most out from it. Complementing her work in the publication sector Jackie continues to enjoy her time in the classroom. Many schools and teachers also seek out her advice on effective resourcing and teaching practice.
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Suzi de Gouveia

Suzi is an enthusiastic principal of a Catholic school in Christchurch, New Zealand. She has international teaching experience and has had the pleasure of teaching in a multi-cultural environment. With over 20 years of teaching, Suzi has developed a wealth of ideas and resources to best help children with their learning.