Helping with Maths

Supporting Your Child With Maths

What tips can I use to help my child?

Be positive about maths!

• Let your child know that you think maths is important and fun.
• Point out the ways in which different family members use maths in their jobs.
• Be positive about your own maths abilities. Try to avoid saying "I was never good at maths!" or "I never liked maths!"
• Encourage your child to keep going if a problem seems difficult. Problem solving is an important skill. Children are encouraged to use trial and error to develop their ability to reason and to learn how to go about problem solving. In doing so they learn that there may be more than one way to solve a problem and more than one answer. They also learn to express themselves clearly as they explain their solutions.
• Praise your child when he or she makes an effort, and share in the excitement when he or she solves a problem or understands something for the first time.
• Don’t worry if the way your child is working through the problem is different from how you were taught at school. Prompt them to remember the stages they were shown in class. Giving your child the chance to explain and work through a problem is more valuable than just giving them the answer.
• Use odd moments such as when walking or driving to school, or waiting in a queue to practice chanting times tables, number bonds and telling the time. Short bursts of practice, while completing other activities, are more fun and very effective.

Make Maths Relevant

Children learn easily when they can connect mathematical concepts to their own experience. By using common household objects (such as weighing scales, measuring jugs and kitchen spoons) and observing everyday events (such as weather patterns over the course of a week), they can "see" the ideas that are being taught. Go shopping and let your child handle the money and work out change.

Make opportunities to talk about maths. Many times when you are on the go, you are headed somewhere that requires you to be there by a certain time. Talk about how long it takes to get to your destination. If it is 3:15 now, and it takes 45 minutes to get there, ask questions such as, “Will we make it for a 4:15 appointment? How much extra time will there be? Will we be late?”

Useful websites for maths games:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/digger

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/maths/

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/numberskills.html