Spot the Mistake
Find the misconception hiding in the working.
These starters show an incorrect solution and ask students to identify the first mistake, explain why it is wrong and correct the work. They are designed to reveal misconceptions quickly.
Spot the Mistake
Find the error, explain it, then fix it.
Students should identify the mistake before correcting the work. The aim is to make the misconception visible, not just get the right answer.
Number
Negative Numbers
Prompt
1/8
Question
Calculate -3 + 8
Student work
-3 + 8 = -11
Before revealing the answer, ask students: where exactly does the first incorrect step happen?