26TRA301 Beyond the Right Answer: Teaching for Deep Mathematical Understanding

 

 

 

 

 

Dates:   Tuesday, 24th February 2026
Time:     7.00 - 8.00 pm
Venue:   Online via Zoom

Target Audience: Primary and Post-Primary Teachers of Mathematics, and Maths Coordinators/Leaders

Pupils can often produce correct answers without secure understanding. They may complete procedures successfully, yet struggle to explain why a method works, spot misconceptions, or apply learning to unfamiliar problems.

This webinar focuses on practical ways to move pupils from “answer-getting” to genuine mathematical thinking. Participants will explore simple but powerful questioning approaches and task formats that reveal understanding, strengthen reasoning, and build confidence.

The session demonstrates how to use:

• boundary cases (Where does this stop working?)
• counterexamples (Can you break the rule?)
• structured explanation routines
• discussion moves that make pupil thinking visible
• carefully chosen examples and representations that reduce misconceptions

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Identify the difference between correct answers and secure understanding
• Use questioning routines that develop pupils’ ability to explain, justify, and generalise
• Apply boundary cases and counterexamples to strengthen conceptual understanding
• Use structured discussion routines to improve reasoning without losing lesson pace
• Choose examples and representations that expose misconceptions early
• Leave with a set of ready-to-use “depth moves” to build reasoning into everyday lessons

This webinar is highly practical and will provide a toolkit of adaptable strategies that can be applied to almost any curriculum topic.

Bio of Presenter - Stuart Welsh, Director at ALTA Education

Stuart is an experienced educator, secondary mathematics specialist, and director at ALTA Education. He has led and supported maths teams in the UK and internationally, and is a sought-after presenter and keynote speaker. Stuart delivers high-quality professional learning to schools and groups of schools around the world. With a strong track record and a deep understanding of research-informed pedagogy, cognitive science, and leadership, he is passionate about improving education through collaboration and shared learning.