In this episode of the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast, Brendan Lee speaks to Kieran Mackle. Kieran is a primary mathematics specialist teacher from the UK, an author and is currently working with Complete Maths. He is also the host of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, a podcast that should be on your playlist, and this episode is actually the second part of our conversation. In the first part, Kieran quizzes me for his podcast. However, in this episode you will get an in-depth look at how deeply Kieran has thought about primary mathematics. We look at a number of topics including:
- Concrete, context, pictorial, abstract, language
- Threshold concepts
- Depth and Challenge
- Storytelling
- Word problems
In this episode, Kieran also analyses the lesson structure that I recently proposed.
Resources mentioned:
- Christopher Such
- Neil Almond
- www.thinkingdeeply.info/threshold-concepts
- Jonathan Hall – mathsbot.com
- Gareth Metcalfe – https://garethmetcalfe.wordpress.com/
- Dan Willingham
- Nick Hart
Part 1 of the conversation: Episode 120 Thinking Deeply about Primary Education – In search of the Science of Mathematics (Teaching) with Brendan Lee
Apple:
My original blog post on A Systematic and Structured Approach to Teaching Primary Mathematics:

About Kieran Mackle
Kieran Mackle is a teacher, MaST (Primary Mathematics Specialist Teacher) and Specialist Leader of Education, who has worked with numerous schools, local authorities and training providers to deliver training and school-to-school support. Upon the completion of his B.Ed. at St. Mary’s University College, Belfast, Kieran moved to Medway to become a class teacher before taking on the leadership roles of assistant and deputy head teacher of schools in areas of high socio-economic deprivation. In 2017 he was appointed Mathematics Specialist and Collaboration Lead across three Gravesham primary schools, spearheading a project funded by The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths’, developed to enhance aspirations and outcomes of disadvantaged children through support for teachers in their mathematics professional development.
Kieran is currently working with Complete Maths.
You can connect with Kieran:
Twitter: @Kieran_M_Ed
Website: thinkingdeeply.info
You can connect with Brendan:
Twitter: @learnwithmrlee
Facebook: @learningwithmrleeWebsite: learnwithlee.net