The Instructions Tab helps teachers anticipate pupil misconceptions before assigning work, so instruction can be proactive rather than reactive. Using historical data from Magma-created problems, this feature highlights where pupils are most likely to struggle and how teachers can plan intentional support ahead of time.
Why the Instructions Tab Matters
The Instructions Tab allows teachers to:
Anticipate common misconceptions before they happen by previewing the problems pupils historically find most challenging.
Plan instruction with intention using insights into likely errors and suggested instructional moves.
Ground planning in real pupil thinking through anonymised examples of real pupil solutions.
Support productive struggle and discussion by deciding when to intervene, what questions to ask, and which misconceptions to surface for learning.
💡 Best practice: Review the Instructions Tab before assigning work to pupils.
How It Works
When you open an assignment and navigate to the Instructions tab, Magma analyses historical pupil data and surfaces:
Top Challenges
The three most difficult problems in the assignment, based on past correctness rates.
Common Mistakes
The most frequent error pupils historically make on each problem.
Pupil Examples
Anonymised examples of real pupil work that show how the misconception appears in pupil thinking and representations.
AI Instructional Guidance
AI-generated support that:
Explains what the error is and why it commonly occurs
Suggests instructional strategies to address or prevent the misconception
Provides discussion prompts or focus areas to use with pupils
Using the Insights to Plan Instruction
Teachers can use the Instructions Tab to:
Preview incorrect solutions in advance
Plan checkpoints or questions during the assignment
Intentionally surface misconceptions to support discussion and sense-making
Decide when to let productive struggle happen versus when to intervene
Important Notes & Limitations
The Instructions Tab does not show your own pupils’ work. All examples and insights are based on anonymised historical data from other Magma users.
This feature is only available for Magma-created content. Self-created problems will not display Instructions due to a lack of historical data.