Chinese math textbook to be introduced into Britain

Chen Zhuhui, Shanghai maths teacher is giving maths lesson at St Vincent's Catholic Primary School.[Photo by Wang Mingjie]

Meanwhile, the second group of Shanghai maths teachers have arrived in Britain by the end of February.

As part of an ongoing exchange between the Department for Education and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, teachers from Shanghai have been dispatched to selected primary schools and worked with local maths hub, led by a school chosen for their high-quality maths teaching and subject specialism.

"The first phase of this innovative exchange demonstrated the kind of school-led collaboration which will help transform maths teaching in this country and raise standards for all," said School Reform Minister Nick Gibb last month when the teachers from Shanghai arrived.

"The Shanghai approach, with children taught as a whole class, building depth of understanding of the structure of mathematics, supported by the use of high-quality textbooks, is proving a hit in those schools in the country where it's been tried. And standards of maths in these schools are rising rapidly. Careful teaching of the traditional calculation methods and plenty of practice in class and as part of pupils' homework are key to this success," he added.

According to the Department for Education, last September, 71 top maths teachers from across England spent two weeks with their exchange partners in Shanghai, observing them teaching and discussing learning methods and approaches in lectures and workshops.

The first group of Shanghai teachers taught in British schools in last November. The Department for Education has confirmed a further phase of exchange will take place in the autumn and spring terms of the 2015 to 2016 academic year.