Maths Interventions

What is SEAL Maths?

SEAL stands for Stages of Early Arithmetical Learning.

In 1992 Dr. Robert Wright began developing the Maths Recovery Programme.  This is an evidence based intensive assessment and intervention process for targeting pupils who are having difficulties with numeracy and maths.  The underlying model for Maths Recovery was that children acquire strategies and numerical knowledge through a series of different stages – the Stages of Early Arithmetical Learning.  It looks at the relative sophistication of children’s strategies for dealing with number and allows teachers to build on those skills.  For example, the child who has no means of working out 9 + 3 other than counting out nine counters, then counting out three counters and then counting all of the counters from 1 to 12, is using a far less sophisticated strategy who can say 9 + 3 is the same as 10 + 12 so I know that the answer is 12.  The progression of SEAL is as follows:

Emergent

Perceptual

Figurative

Counting on

Facile

Over the years it has been recognised that using the Maths Recovery approaches can promote problem solving in numeracy.  By using this approach in our classes we can ensure that learners have a firm foundation for understanding number, as it ensures that their strategies are based on understanding rather than on processes or “tricks”.

 

An Emergent Counter: 

  • Attempts to count
  • May not understand all counting tasks (social counter?)
  • The child may not know all the number words.
  • The child may not be able to coordinate number words with items.
  • The child may not have the organisational skills

This video from East Lothian shows an example of emergent counting. When asked, “Give me 7 counters” she grabbed a collection of counters and handed them over without attempting to count them. When she was then asked to count the counters she attempted to count them in ones. She could coordinate the number words with the counters but missed out some counters. When this task was micro-adjusted to counting items in a row, Eva successfully counted the counters.

 

 

Perceptual Counter

  • Can count perceived items
  • May involve seeing, hearing or feeling items
  • May create perceptual replacements for abstract problems
Here is one example of a perceptual counter.
When presented with 4 screened counters and 3 screened counters,  the child could not calculate how many there were altogether. However, when the counters were unscreened the child quickly counted them together. This child needs to see all the counters to solve the task. Click on the two clips below. 

Figurative Counter

  • Can count the total of two screened collections (and possibly solve abstract questions like what is 5+4).
  • Counts from one to solve the problem
  • E.g. If asked what is 13 add 3. The child would count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 . . . 14 15 16
Here is an example of a figurative counter.
When presented with 11 screened counters and 5 screened counters the child counts how many there are altogether. She does this by counting from 1 to calculate the total. Although the child counts all of the items individually, she does not need perceptual replacements. She successfully uses her fingers to keep track of the five she adds on.