Mathematics teaching materials

The Language of Functions and Graphs
(The Red Box Materials)

Written by Malcolm Swan and the Shell Centre Team. Published by Shell Centre & Joint Matriculation Board 1985.

Sold as a "School's Pack" containing a 240 page teachers' book and a pack of 100 photocopying masters.
Price in UK pounds: £25.

The Language of Functions and Graphs is now regarded as a classic book on the teaching and assessment of graph interpretation skills.

It focuses on developing fluency in using various mathematical representations to describe and analyse the real world, and on the teaching tactics needed to handle pupil discussion in groups and with the whole class. Unit A of the classroom materials tackles the interpretation and sketching of scatter graphs and line graphs - an area where most pupils need help if they are to go beyond the plotting and reading of points to the global meaning of the graph; this material is accessible to a wide range of abilities. Unit B develops modeling skills - the search for patterns in a realistic situation and their expression in verbal, graphical and algebraic forms: this unit is more challenging. Each Unit takes about two weeks of mathematics time in the 13-16 age range. In addition there is a collection of further problems, as well as the assessment tasks with marking schemes for GCSE.

"By addressing the query of 'how do you assess open ended problem solving', the Shell team generated a classic resource, from which has grown the substantial literature of alternative assessment of today." - AAMT

"The materials are very well produced with attractive worksheets and an abundance of materials from which to select." - Mathematical Gazette

El lenguaje de funciones y gráficas, the Spanish language edition of The Language of Functions and Graphs is available from Servicio Editorial, Universidad del País Vasco, Apdo. postal 1.397, E-48080 Bilbao, Spain (and not from the Shell Centre).