Helping DS with very simple sums - how?

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

I had a thread earlier in the week, my ds has been flagged up by the school at being very behind and finding it really hard to concentrate. I am trying to help him to build up his stamina with sums, spellings, independent writing, etc, at the recommendation of the headteacher.

Today I wrote out some very easy sums, just three on one page and asked him to do them - 2+1, 3+3, 4+3

he looked at the first two and did them no problem in his head, and said they were easy. the last one, he said was hard, and tried to use his fingers to add them up, using four fingers on his left hand and three on the other. the got confused counting up the fingers every time and ended up with one more or one less than he should. I tried using ten pennies and getting him to take four, then three and then counting up how many that made. He found this a bit confusing as well, but I think he could get the hang of it.

However, he wont have pennies in the class when they do sums. And he only has ten fingers! Plus, fingers seems to be a bit of a confusing method for him.

Could I use a number line? Is it just a case of ploughing on, and hoping it sinks in? I think im just confusing him and making the problem worse at the moment. Are there any good games on the internet we could do? He loves doing stuff on the computer...

[maize]

Does counting on help him?

So put four fingers up and then add three more and count the total. I find pressing each finger on my nose (well not me personally but ykwim!) helps prevent getting mixed up.

Ask him how he works out the simpler sums and build on that?

[mrz]

How old is he?

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

I tried explaining counting on to him, and he didn't get it and looked totally confused, then got upset. I find it so hard to explain things to him in a way that he will understand sometimes, I could do with something like numberjacks that we could watch or do together, or a good activity book that explains it in a fun way.

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

ah that would help, he is five. He has done half a term of yr1, and one term of reception before that. He is struggling a LOT, with most of the work, except reading which he is getting on fairly well with.

[mrz]

In that case I would expect that he still needs to use counters of some kind to calculate. He isn't ready for putting numbers in his head it is too abstract a concept. He will be taught to use a number line in time for now he needs the concrete objects so he can see the twoness of 2. Fingers are fine if he can cope and really after one and a half terms I would expect the school/teacher to focus on adding up to 10 and subtracting from 10.

[activate]

say "put 4 in your head"

hold up 3 fingers

now count on from the 4 in your head by touching each of these

do it with him

then do some more (don't write them just say them)

or do it with raisins / chocolate drops - here's 4 raisins, here's 3 more How many?

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

Thank you Mrz, that's helpful, if we get really good with the counters, do you think that will be a good foundation for him to be able to do the sums in the class? They get a sheet of sums and have to do as many as possible in five minutes. He is really starting to notice that others can do it and he struggles.

Yep as you say its adding up to then and subtracting from ten. I thought we would start with adding...ds has just told me he does subtracting too, and actually seems to be able to get his head around that more easily (hes just done a couple in his head now to demonstrate to me...).

Mrz, thanks for your advice, it is really helpful. I have been reading through lots of old threads today to get some ideas of ways to help ds, and your advice on all of the threads has been really great

[mrz]

Does the school not use counters (most use numicon / unifix cubes / multilink or similar)in Y1?

I like my children/class to have instant recall of all pairs of numbers that total numbers up to 10 then they can do addition /subtraction quickly so that is how we teach but all schools work differently.

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

Mrz, I dont know what they use to be honest. when I was in the meeting with the head, she said, if you HAVE to, use counters, which made me think maybe they dont. I should have asked. I was seeing the head about getting a plan together to steer him and some of the other boys away from a play fighting craze, and ideas to help him concentrate in class, then she told me about all the concerns they had about ds and how little work he does/understanding he seems to have. I am afraid I was rather gobsmacked and didnt ask what method they are using in class. I will when we go back after half term though, I just want to do some extra practice several times a day with him to try to give him a bit more confidence, which I really hope will help.
He seems to have an instant recall of the pairs up to ten that you mention, so thats one good thing we can build on . Also he does love it when he gets it right, he is enjoying doing the extra work, which I want to take advantage of! We went today and chose new notebooks/pencils/rubber/sharpener and pencil case, which has motivated him.

Sorry I know Im waffling at you.

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

Thanks for the wording, activate, good idea to use raisins/ choc buttons, too

[mrz]

He's only been in school a term and a half!!! I think the head is being unfair

I start off with a fun sized packet of buttons and ask the children to count out ten

I give them two bowls and ask them to split the buttons anyway they like
Then we record the sum
? + ? = 10
then we move the buttons and write the next sum until we have covered all the addition (number stories) for 10 then they can eat a button and we count how many and do the same for 9 ...

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

Thanks, that is a great activity, I can do that with both my boys tomorrow, the younger one will enjoy the eating part

They seem to have a lot of concerns, I think the main one is getting him to focus, listen and concentrate...he easily loses the thread of what he is doing. I think if I can get him confident in the number stories (makes sense, didnt know that's what they were called), he will be able to concentrate. He can rattle off all the pairs. Head thinks it might also be that his pencil grip is quite poor, so he is finding it all really hard.

another issue is that they think he talks about fantasy/heroes/sonic the hedgehog too much and cant separate fantasy from reality. I think sonic is just something he talks to his best mate a lot with as that little boy has a big sonic craze at the moment. He hasnt mentioned any of this stuff since we've been on half term. Its all been spiders and kinghts. Teacher thought it was very weird when they were discussing an eye infection at carpet time and ds1 went off on a big diatribe about x-ray vision!!

Im just going with it, and doing what I can to help him, so that hopefully he can start to enjoy his lessons and not feel like hes "rubbish at this" all the time. They're the teachers at the end of the day, so Im assuming that they have observed more than just usual reluctance to learn and five year old quirkyness!

[ExcessAdrenaline]

There are lots of games yu can play - I'd stay away from computer based games till he gets the basics. Get him to tell you what he's thinking - how he's working it out, what his approach is...

Good games to play - Ladybirds from Orchard toys is fab. Board games are good too. Throwing a dice and see who can get up to 10/back to zero. Cooking in imperial measures. Keep it light hearted and fun - buy smarties - play smartie maths/pasta maths - keep changing things. Play Skittles and get him to keep score. Let him be the teacher and get him to correct you. Add numbers on number plates as you pass cars, add house numbers, notice they are all odd or even. Maths snap or pairs - I make it up with card and a laminator.

I'd stay away from writing a lot of stuff down for a while - it usually bores them to tears and I don't think it helps them to learn Maths at this stage, but they are all different and you will be able to assess how each activity is received.

I help lots of kids who struggle with Maths from Year 2 to Year 6, it's incredibly worthwhile to see them make progress and start to enjoy and get a real buzz out of a subject they've hated for years.

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

Thank you ExcessAdrenaline, all good ideas, which I am in need of . You are right, it is easy to forget to make it fun. I am obsessing I think about him being able to do the "do as many sums as you can in five minutes" activity which at present he isnt really even attempting or only doing one or two badly. Looking at the bigger picture though, and reading your post, if I make maths(and all the other stuff he is struggling with) fun and interesting he will still get the skills he needs, just in a way that appeals to him more. Skittles is a good idea, getting him to keep score. Ha, he would LOVE being the teacher, I think, thats a good idea too. thanks!

[mrz]

Dominoes are great for addition too
pick any domino count the spots on each side then find the total
any scoring game throwing beanbags sponges at targets and adding the scores

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

great thanks for the ideas. The target game is a great idea, it will really appeal to him.
They dont have counters in the class and are to try not to use fingers either, according to ds. Today he did five sums in just over one minute, so he is getting better and he got them all right too . I will mix up with some subraction tomorrow, then if he gets on ok, add a couple more. we have been counting EVERYTHING, when were doing stuff, and then talking about "how many more to make ten/what happens if we take two away" etc. Think it is definitely starting to sink in. Just hope he can manage to concentrate now when the do it at school.

If anyones still reading, is handwriting paper a good or bad idea at this age? He can form his letters but looks to have got into bad habits and isnt starting them off in the right places. We have practice books and we have been using handwriting paper, concentrating on getting the forms right. Also weve been drawing them in the air and practicing on a magnadoodle thing he likes to use.

Blimey. I hope all this works. He is revelling in all the special attention - so glad that at least at home he is willing to do work and try.

[mrz]

I would use handwriting paper in preference to dotty letters or overwriting that way he's learning not joining the dots.
For a five year old I would focus on the movements before moving to paper so write them large in the air (try using a light sabre) then transferring the actions to paper

[ExcessAdrenaline]

Or you could use sand/flour on a tray and make the letters with his finger. Or a white board - requires less pressure than a pencil and again he can pretend to be the teacher.

I find it odd that they are not allowed to use their fingers in the 1st term of Year One - I think it's important that they understand the value of what they are counting before they start memorising the additions & subtractions to 10. Some children need the visual aids as a support while they learn - better using an aid than struggling to understand a concept.

Is this a private school or a state school which prides itself on traditional methods?
Is just seems quite a rigid approach, maybe speak to your ds's teacher about the ban on finger counting, your ds may have misunderstood.

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

ok thanks for that. Love the lightsabre idea - do you know my ds?

Excess, I am definitely asking the teacher, DS's version of how they do maths is rather sketchy..... He says they each have a whiteboard. The teacher writes the sum on the board, and they have to just write the answer. He is trying to explain that they also have to write numbers up to twenty in a line...I wonder if they are using a number line. He maintains that they cant use their fingers...I wonder if thats because they are now doing sums up to twenty...the head only told us to practice up to ten so looks like he'll still be behind when we go back.

Its a state school. I am going to find out about how they do it in class when we go back.

[mrz]

I wouldn't move a child onto 20 until they were absolutely secure working with numbers to 10. It sounds as if the school/teacher is following the framework rather than children's needs.(obviously this assumption is based on limited information)

[ExcessAdrenaline]

They do have to learn different methods and it is possible they have moved on to the number line or the number square. I often find that when all these methods are taught the child get confused at to which method to use - especially when they are told the are not allowed to use one - in order to teach another. Year 1 was a real low point in mathematical terms for both my children - the clouds lifted after that.

[sarahfreck]

As far as computer games are concerned I would recommend this
www.amazon.co.uk/BRAINtastic-Version-2-Maths-ONE/dp/B003KG9ZQG/ref=dp_ob_title_sw?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21
There are mixed reviews I know but I've found it a lot better than most other "educational" software marketed for home rather than school. The child answers 5 maths questions and then gets a couple of minutes on a reward game. You can download other games from the Braintastic website too.
The thing I like is that you can set the level of question independently in 5 different maths areas - so you could set harder questions on shape and space if this suited your child or only set questions on understanding and using number, set questions in one topic across a couple of levels so their are harder and(light relief) easier questions etc.
Your DC may need to do it with an adult supervising ( at least to start with) but I find it is a useful tool to bring a bit of variety into maths. At the earliest level, lots of the questions involve counting objects, moving them with a mouse etc so it should give your son practice with concrete objects.

[sarahfreck]

P.S.
It is so lovely that your son is keen and enthusiastic to learn. I hope you have a fantastic half-term full of learning fun!!

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

absolutely, Mrz, I am unsure what exactly it is that they are doing in the class, I am getting a home school diary when we go back apparently, so I will be asking the teacher in here for more info so I can support him at home. He is much much better with his 1-10 since we have been doing work at home, and now I have all these other great ideas, I plan to continue it on! I was DREADFUL at maths (I still am) as a child, and really struggled, I really want him to be confident with the basic rules and to understand how do do the basics as I dont think I was really. Of course I dont tell him I found maths hard, the thinks I LOVE it
Thanks for that Sarahfreck, I will take a look :) Yeah it has surprised me actually how keen he is to do extra work, he's keeping it all in a folder and is really enjoying showing his dad what he's done when he comes in .

Do you think it would be helpful, or overbearing to send the work in that he's done at the start of school next week? I have written on there how long stuff has taken him and so on, maybe it will give them an idea of what he CAN do if he concentrates. Or will this make me look like an obsessive hothousing parent?

Thanks again all, for all the support, it is so fantastic to get some great advice, it is great to have an idea that you are doing things that will hopefully help.

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

sorry for all the typos, no excuse other than being slapdash - wonder who DS gets it from!