Mike Askew is Adjunct Professor of Education at Monash University, Melbourne. Previously he was Professor of Mathematics Education at King's College, University of London. A former primary school teacher, he now researches, speaks and writes on teaching and learning primary mathematics. For the Academic year 2006/07 he was Visiting Distinguished Scholar at City College, City University New York.

Mike has written extensively both for teachers and the research community. His books include ‘Teaching Primary Mathematics: a guide for students and newly qualified teachers’, ‘Recent Research in Mathematics Education’ (with Dylan Wiliam), and ‘The Numeracy File’ (with Sheila Ebbutt). He and Sheila also devised and wrote the innovative mathematics scheme, ‘Numeracy Focus’. He regularly writes for professional journals and magazines including ‘Teach Primary’ and ‘Junior Education’.

Mike led the writing of the influential research report 'Effective Teachers of Numeracy in Primary Schools' (Teacher Training Agency) and has directed many research projects including 'Raising Attainment in Numeracy’ and ‘Mental Calculations: Interpretations and Implementation’ (both funded by the Nuffield Foundation). He was deputy director of the five-year Leverhulme Numeracy Research Programme that examined teaching, learning and progression in number from age 5 to age 11. The findings from these and other research has influenced policy both in England and abroad.

Mike is constantly in demand, nationally and internationally, for his entertaining and incisive conference talks. His expertise has led to consultancies in Australia, South Africa and Chile, as well as with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the National Numeracy Strategy in England. He has delivered keynote addresses at several international conferences including, Denmark, New Zealand, Portugal and Namibia. He is a founding director of BEAM, a publishing house specialising in producing support materials for teachers of primary mathematics.

Mike has taught at all levels in higher education – Undergraduate to Doctoral – at three traditional universities, as well as ‘at distance’ through the Open University.

Mike is particularly interested in making research findings on teaching and learning accessible to teachers. This has led to Mike going back in classrooms to teach and check out research findings for himself.

He is also a skilled magician.