WA Report Comments: Mathematics Examples

Anchoring maths comments in the WA Curriculum

Mathematics in the Western Australian Curriculum is described through content strands (for example Number, Measurement and Statistics) and proficiencies: Understanding, Fluency, Problem-solving and Reasoning.

A strong comment names one strand and one proficiency, then gives the evidence. Keep the comment aligned with the achievement standard for your students’ year level.

Evidence phrases that work in Mathematics comments

• Understanding: explains why a method works, connects ideas across strands, represents the same problem in more than one way.
• Fluency: recalls number facts accurately, chooses efficient strategies, calculates with growing confidence.
• Problem-solving: selects a strategy, persists when a problem is unfamiliar, checks that an answer makes sense.
• Reasoning: justifies a solution, explains thinking using mathematical language, spots patterns and generalises.

Number and fluency comments

Examples

• "[Student] recalls addition and subtraction facts to 20 with accuracy and is beginning to use these facts to solve harder problems. Daily practice of doubles and near-doubles will build fluency."
• "[Student] multiplies and divides using a range of strategies and can explain why each works. Next steps include choosing the most efficient strategy for the numbers in a problem."
• "[Student] is developing understanding of place value and can partition numbers into hundreds, tens and ones. Using concrete materials will help them apply this to regrouping."

Problem-solving and reasoning comments

Examples

• "[Student] approaches unfamiliar problems with persistence, trying different strategies when the first does not work. A next step is recording each step clearly so their reasoning is easy to follow."
• "[Student] explains their thinking using mathematical vocabulary and justifies answers with an example. They are working on checking whether an answer is reasonable before moving on."
• "[Student] solves one-step word problems with support. Underlining key information and drawing a diagram before calculating will help them choose the correct operation."

Measurement, space and statistics comments

Examples

• "[Student] measures length and mass accurately using standard units and can choose the appropriate tool for the task. They are beginning to convert between units with support."
• "[Student] collects data, displays it in a table and column graph, and describes what the graph shows. Next steps include writing a question that the data can answer."