MathsTalk by AMSI Schools

When students ask, “When am I ever going to use this maths?”, real examples can make all the difference. In this special MathsTalk episode, Leanne McMahon previews AMSI’s FREE Industry Days for Teachers, taking place on Thursday 30 July 2026 at Swinburne University of Technology and CSL’s global headquarters. Discover how mathematics supports careers in artificial intelligence, sustainability, business analytics, biotechnology, gem faceting and more, and learn how the day will help secondary mathematics, STEM and careers educators connect classroom learning with real-world pathways. The episode also covers the speaker program, industry tour, professional learning certificate and limited $500 CRT and travel bursaries available to Victorian teachers. There is also a day at Latrobe University, Albury/Wodonga Campus on 10th September.
Links and resources
Attend the Industry Day
AMSI Industry Day for Teachers—event information and speaker programhttps://amsi.org.au/amsi-industry-day-for-teachers/
Register for the Melbourne Industry Dayhttps://www.tfaforms.com/5225482
AMSI Industry Day invitation and event detailshttps://australianmathematicalsciencesinstitutes.createsend.com/t/ViewEmail/r/C2A8887C1D5D3A052540EF23F30FEDED/C67FD2F38AC4859C/text/?context=BE1559E32AC7F640D744A813E2B67A32&previewAll=1&print=1&source=PrintPreview&tx=0
CRT and travel bursary enquiriesenquiries@amsi.org.au
Event partners and featured organisations
Swinburne University of Technology—Applied Mathematicshttps://www.swinburne.edu.au/courses/find-a-course/science/applied-mathematics/
CSLhttps://www.csl.com/
Plantehttps://www.growplante.com/
Coco the Creatorhttps://www.cocothecreator.com/
Bunnings careershttps://www.bunnings.com.au/jobs
Mathematical Association of Victoriahttps://www.mav.vic.edu.au/Home
Australian Facetors’ Guildhttps://www.facetorsguild.com.au/
Classroom and careers resources
AMSI Mathematics Careers Resources for the ClassroomLesson plans, presentations, activity sheets and recordings from previous Industry Days for Years 7–10.https://calculate.org.au/industry-day/
AMSI CareersCareer profiles, videos and information showing where mathematics and statistics can lead.https://careers.amsi.org.au/
MathsTalk podcastAccess previous MathsTalk episodes and their accompanying resources.https://calculate.org.au/mathstalk-podcast/
Texas Instruments Teacher Resource CentreAustralian curriculum-aligned classroom activities, webinars and professional learning resources.https://education.ti.com/en-au/teachers

In this episode of MathsTalk, Leanne continues the conversation about using textbooks creatively, moving from Years 7 and 8 into the more complex terrain of Years 9 and 10.
While many of the same principles still apply; conceptual understanding, mathematical language, structured lessons and exercises used for thinking rather than just completion, Years 9 and 10 bring their own challenges. Students are working with more demanding content, wider gaps in assumed knowledge, more entrenched mathematical identities, and a stronger need to see relevance in what they are learning.
This episode explores how teachers can use a resource such as the AMSI ICE-EM books to support both students who need consolidation and students who are ready for greater challenge. It considers how textbook exercises can be used to reveal structure, diagnose misconceptions, support mathematical communication, and keep mixed-ability classes working around the same important mathematical ideas.
In this episode
Leanne discusses:
why Years 9 and 10 are not simply “harder Years 7 and 8”
how older misconceptions can affect the learning of more demanding content
the importance of mathematical language, reasoning and explanation
how to use textbook exercises for thinking, not just completion
why relevance becomes more important in Years 9 and 10
ways to support mixed-ability classes without watering down the mathematics
how anxiety, disengagement and behaviour can be connected to students’ mathematical histories
five planning questions teachers can use when working from the textbook
Reflection questions for teachers
When planning from the textbook, consider:
What is the core mathematical idea?
What prior knowledge is being assumed?
What misconceptions or avoidance patterns am I likely to meet?
Which parts of the textbook sequence matter most?
How can I preserve common mathematical access while supporting a wide range of learners?
Links and resources
AMSI ICE-EM Mathematics Textbookshttps://schools.amsi.org.au/ice-em-mathematics-textbooks/AMSI’s ICE-EM Mathematics series covers Years 5–10 and is designed to develop mathematical ideas with depth, support and challenge. (AMSI Schools)
Texas Instruments Australia Teacher Resource Centrehttps://education.ti.com/en-au/teachersFree professional learning and Australian curriculum-aligned resources for classroom technology. (education.ti.com)
Australian Curriculum: Mathematicshttps://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/curriculum-information/understand-this-learning-area/mathematics/Useful for considering the role of reasoning, problem-solving, fluency, understanding and mathematical communication across F–10. (Australian Curriculum)
AMSI Careershttps://careers.amsi.org.au/Resources for helping students see where mathematics can lead, including career profiles, videos and real-world applications. (AMSI Careers)
Open Middlehttps://www.openmiddle.com/Problems with a shared starting point and answer, but multiple possible strategies and pathways. (Open Middle® |)
Illustrative Mathematics Taskshttps://tasks.illustrativemathematics.org/A searchable collection of standards-based mathematical tasks, including middle and high school content. (Illustrative Mathematics)
NRICH Secondary Teacher Resourceshttps://nrich.maths.org/teachers/secondaryRich problem-solving tasks and teacher resources organised by topic and age group. (NRICH)
reSolve Mathshttps://resolve.edu.au/Free Australian mathematics resources designed to support inquiry, reasoning and rich mathematical thinking. (reSolve)
Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by Texas Instruments Australia. Explore tools, lessons, professional learning and classroom resources at:https://education.ti.com/australia

In this solo episode of MathsTalk, Leanne McMahon explores how to use Textbooks creatively in Years 7 and 8, where students are moving from primary habits into more abstract secondary mathematics. The episode focuses on building precise mathematical language, identifying common transition misconceptions, using textbook exercises for concept development rather than simple practice, and structuring mixed-ability lessons around the same core task so all students can engage with the same important mathematics. It also argues for the central role of conceptual understanding in a book-based curriculum, and for teachers being deeply familiar with the curriculum so they can adapt, extend and refine tasks with confidence.
Resources mentioned in the episode include:
AMSI ICE-EM textbooks will be published by Cambridge later in the year https://schools.amsi.org.au/ice-em-mathematics-textbooks/ 
Texas Instruments Australia for teacher resources and professional learning (https://education.ti.com/en-au/teachers?category=professional-development )
NRICH for rich tasks and problem-solving https://nrich.maths.org/ 
Compression https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMmaiaZZeW0 
youcubed for open and creative classroom tasks https://www.youcubed.org/ 
GeoGebra for interactive visual exploration https://www.geogebra.org/ 
Open Middle for challenging problems that unlock student thinking (Open Middle® |)
Illustrative Mathematics for problem-based middle years mathematics and collaborative reasoning routines (Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math)
University of Melbourne’s decimal misconceptions site for insight into common misconceptions about decimal numbers (extranet.education.unimelb.edu.au)

What's in store for the remainder of 2026? A plethora of exciting and engaging podcasts for you mathematical pleasure. Contact us for more ideas:
mathstalk@amsi.org.au

In this episode of MathsTalk, Leanne McMahon is joined by mathematics educator Nadia Abdelal to explore the role of calculators in Years 7–8. This re-released episode tackles a question many schools still debate: when do calculators support learning, and when do they risk getting in the way?
Leanne and Nadia discuss how calculators can reduce cognitive load, improve access to new concepts, and support students who are still building number sense.
They also highlight the importance of intervention, estimation, and equity — reminding us that calculators can help students engage in richer mathematical thinking, but should sit alongside strong teaching of foundational skills.
Relevant links
MathsTalk podcast: https://calculate.org.au/mathstalk-podcast/ 
Texas Instruments Australia: https://education.ti.com/en-au/teachers?category=professional-development 
AMSI maths careers: https://careers.amsi.org.au/ 
AMSI Industry Day resources: https://amsi.org.au/amsi-industry-day-for-teachers/ 

In this episode of Maths Talk, we introduce an upcoming professional development event tailored for Maths and STEM teachers as well as career practitioners. Scheduled for Tuesday, September 9, 2025, the AMSI Industry Day at Latrobe University, Bendigo, offers engaging sessions from university educators and industry professionals to bridge classroom teaching with real-world applications of mathematics. The event includes impactful talks, networking opportunities, and takeaway resources funded by the Invergowrie Foundation. Teachers will leave with practical examples and lesson plans to inspire students and connect curriculum topics with future careers. Register through the AMSI website and join us for a day of learning and connecting.
Registrations: https://tinyurl.com/AMSBendigoRego
TI Professional Learning:
https://education.ti.com/en-au/resources/getting-started-with-ti-technology
Previous Industry Days: https://amsi.org.au/amsi-industry-day-for-teachers/ (Click on relevant day)
Classroom resources: https://amsi.org.au/2024-teacher-professional-learning-in-industry-day/ 

In this episode of MathsTalk, Leanne McMahon speaks with Dr Hong Xu, author of the Indigenous content for the upcoming AMSI textbook series, and Professor Rowena Ball, leader of the 'Mathematics Without Borders' initiative. Together, they discuss how and why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander insights into maths are being incorporated into the Australian Mathematics Curriculum, what that looks like in practice, and how teachers can confidently bring this content into their classrooms.
MathsTalk is proudly sponsored by Texas Instruments Australia. https://education.ti.com/en-au
 
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Xu, H., & Ball, R. (2024). Indigenous Mathematics: From Mainstream Misconceptions to Educational Enrichment. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 24(2), 160-175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42330-024-00321-5
- Mathematics Without Borders: https://www.anu.edu.au/research/research-initiatives/mathematics-without-borders
- AMSI Textbook Series: https://schools.amsi.org.au
Texas Instruments teacher professional learning: https://education.ti.com/en-au/professional-development/upcoming-pd
Texas Instruments website: https://education.ti.com/en-au/ 
- Australian Curriculum Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories & Cultures: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/curriculum-information/understand-this-cross-curriculum-priority/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-histories-and-cultures 

In this special Pi Day episode of MathsTalk, host Leanne McMahon, AMSI’s school maths advisor, takes listeners on an engaging journey into the world of Pi. She explains what Pi is and how it is used in basic geometry, explores its irrational and transcendental nature, and discusses its importance in both mathematics and real-world applications. Leanne also shares fun facts about Pi—from ancient approximations to modern Pi recitation contests—and offers a variety of creative activities for teachers and parents to celebrate Pi Day in the classroom.