During 2019/20 teachers from two Secondary schools and four Primary Schools plus a local Advisor, worked together in a collaborative group to see how the careful use of colour could enhance teaching and learning, and also how poor colour consideration could at times confuse learners.

The premise for group from their experience was that when maths is represented visually, colour can have significant impact. It can both support and undermine understanding depending on how it is used.

The group considered three different contexts:

resources (manipulatives),
board work, and
pupil recordings.

Teachers involved, from EYFS to post-16, made explicit decisions about the use of colour and considered how they could use colour to draw attention to mathematical structure. They also identified potential issues arising when colour is present but not consciously considered by the teacher.

Click on the image below to read the final evaluation report: