Dept of Mathematics Education seminar: 18 November 2026

[14:00-15:00] Presentation 1 (40 mins Presentation + 20 mins Q&A): Sandra Branicka

University of the National Education Commission, Kraków, sandra.branicka@uken.krakow.pl 

Is It Really a Similar Problem? Students’ Judgements and Prospective Teachers’ Predictions

Asking students whether they have solved a similar problem before is a familiar heuristic in mathematics education, intended to activate prior knowledge and support transfer. Yet its usefulness depends on what students actually take “similar” to mean. Drawing on responses from 76 students aged 13–15 and 24 prospective mathematics teachers, we examine how surface and structural relations shape judgements of similarity and the perceived usefulness of a previous solution. Students often attended to mathematical features even when contexts differed, and did so more often than prospective teachers anticipated, but mathematically oriented noticing did not always amount to recognising the relevant relational structure. A boundary task further showed that even recognising a structural difference did not necessarily prevent inappropriate transfer. The findings suggest that productive analogy requires more than noticing resemblance: learners need to identify which correspondences are mathematically relevant and whether they genuinely support transfer.

[15:15-15:45] Presentation 2 (20 mins Presentation + 10 mins Q&A): Silke Wortha

Department of Mathematics Education, Loughborough University, s.m.wortha@lboro.ac.uk 

How to include (more) maths into storybook reading: A guide for parents, from parents

How can parents bring more maths into storybook reading without taking the fun out of sharing a story? In this interactive presentation, I will share findings from a content analysis of the CEML storybook study, exploring parents’ advice on how to use storybooks to support young children’s mathematical learning.

Drawing on interviews with parents who read a selection of storybooks with their 2–4-year-old children, I will present practical suggestions for making story time more “maths-aware”. These include ideas for asking questions that encourage children to talk about maths, deciding when to pause and explore an idea and when to keep reading, and finding ways to keep children interested when discussing numbers, shapes and patterns. The aim is to bring together parents’ experiences and insights to develop an accessible reading guide for other families.

The session will be interactive, with opportunities to reflect on the findings and share your own experiences, knowledge and ideas. What advice would you give to parents who want to explore maths through storybooks? Drawing on your experiences with children, or your knowledge of research and practice, what would you add to the guide? What might be missing, and what advice would be most useful to families in everyday life?

[16:00-17:00] Presentation 3 (40 mins Presentation + 20 mins Q&A): Emma Blakey

School of Psychology, University of Sheffield, emma.blakey@sheffield.ac.uk 

Socioeconomic Attainment Gaps in Early Maths: A Discussion of Causes and Potential Ways Forward

Socioeconomic circumstances (SEC) are a robust predictor of mathematical achievement, with gaps appearing as early as the preschool years. This talk synthesises findings from a series of studies investigating the environmental and cognitive predictors of inequalities in early mathematical skills. Contrary to prevailing assumptions, our data indicate that the frequency of home mathematical activities does not account for socioeconomic-related disparities in mathematical skills. Instead, domain-general executive functions and language skills may be key drivers of early mathematical inequality. These results: i) challenge assumptions that families in lower socioeconomic circumstances are doing less with regards to mathematical learning; and ii) given the rising levels of inequality, emphasise the importance of understanding how cognitive skills shape early maths so we can develop effective interventions. I will discuss how we need more nuanced theoretical models of environmental mechanisms linking to cognitive development and the importance of doing research in this area without stigmatising children and families experiencing disadvantage.

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