To have not known kids have to attain grade 4 in maths?

It was an algebra sort question. The total value was 40p, and the value of the 1ps coins was the same as the value of the 2p coins. How many coins were there or something.
So the answer was 20 1p and 10 2p coins.
But DD just couldn't get her head around the bit about the value being the same, because in her head 1p and 2p coins are of different value.
It was her dyslexia coupled with lack of confidence.
It's an example of where language difficulties gets in the way of doing maths.

I'm not sure what the 1p and 2p question is about either.
@TeenToTwenties what was the full question?

Whoopti ping. My best friend has ADHD and suspected Autism. She has a masters degree. Her wife has AuDHD and cPTSD and a PHD.
Another friend has dyslexia and is a paramedic, a course which is notoriously difficult to get onto.

Yet none of them think that means everyone can achieve what they have. My own sons mental health has been so awful that turning up and attempting his GCSEs was a massive achievement. His grades are irrelevant.

I messed up the C&Ping then editing. Hopefully you get the gist. Ignore the first ‘as the value’. It should say ‘the total value of all the 1p coins together is the same as the total value of all the 2p coins together’.

@Ghsvdf I can’t speak for Teen’s DD, but for some DC it would be because of their literal use of language. 1p coins do not have the same value as 2p coins. If the question had said ‘the total value of all the 1p coins together is the same as the value as the total value of all the 2p coins together’ some would have more of a chance of understanding what the question was actually saying. Others may still not understand what the question was saying.

@Ghsvdf She couldn't get her head round 'the value of the 1p coins is the same as the value of the 2p coins'. 1p and 2p are different values she said.

She literally couldn't understand it. The wording was too confusing for her.

What was so difficult about the 1p and 2p questions?

Well think of it this way.
You seem to be having a hard time understanding that people can really struggle with maths, even though it keeps being explained and should be obvious to you by now.
Maybe the people who struggle with maths have similar difficulties with doing maths?

And there is 'learning to read' and 'being able to comprehend more complex wording quickly enough in an exam to then do the numerical calculations without your head figuritively exploding'.

My DD can read. But the 1p and 2p values question blew her mind.

Bully for her 🙄

I understand it's difficult. But I know someone (DS's uni friend) she even did A-level maths. I thought dyslexics can still learn to read with the right intervention and teaching methodology.

Why do you keep posting nonsense ?
It doesnt matter ho hard some kids work ,they just dont get it.

@RampantIvy Exactly. My DD was doing a practice question the other day, and couldn't get her head round 'the value of the 1p coins is the same as the value of the 2p coins'. 1p and 2p are different values she said.

Well some teenagers clearly can't, can they

My friend's DC is dyslexic and has taken maths GCSE several times and just can't pass it because he doesn't understand the questions in spite of trying really hard.

Thank you so much for sharing this @CatHairEveryWhereNow - it's so useful to us! Diolch 💐

. because it isn't as easy for some as you think
. because maths is a lot about confidence and if you fail once it makes your confidence even lower
. because other people telling them it is easy and if only they had a bit of hard work and dedication and strategic preparation they would pass makes them feel stupid and lowers their confidence even more
. because students are having to prepare for a bunch of other GCSEs at the same time so can't just focus on maths, or are doing assignments for college courses, or working
. because some people may not have diagnosed SEN but still have difficulties

But like with a bit of hard work, dedication and strategic preparation you can overcome these challenges and scrape a pass ?

.

Yes I dont.have a grade c in Maths and was fine
But that was 30+ years and these days practically everything requests grade four in Maths and English

There are many many people who don’t achieve a grade C in maths who manage just fine in life. I don’t have a maths gcse grade C and I have professional job and am pretty good at it. I run my own business at the same time and again it does just fine.

It's equivalent to a CSE and no one said they were a failed O-level.

That's true but in reality.it means nothing to get on most courses or apprenticeship kids still need a four in English and maths
Even back in the day and I did my GCSE,s in 1990 we were very aware that anything below C whilst technically a pass wouldn't be counted for further progression so was a fail in all but name.

That's not true. A 4 and above is a level 2 pass, a 1, 2 or 3 are a level 1 pass. A U is the only fail grade.

well I don’t know about the mandatory retake part, but I do know that 4 and above is a pass and anything less isn’t. Same for English. I looked it up as I am concerned my son might not pass his English GCSE this year.

The differences in styles can be significant for some DC (just look at the posts about DC being upset saying how yesterday’s Edexcel higher paper was different), particularly some DC with SEN. Brilliant if that isn’t relevant to you. It is to some. As others have explained on the thread, maths papers aren’t just maths. Again, especially for some DC with SEN. And my posts included past papers and other resources as well as revision guides.

"There are other differences too. Such as the style of question Teen mentioned and the number of papers I mentioned."

But fundamentallly, maths is maths and schools in England doing GCSE maths have the same maths specification to do.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7cb5b040f0b6629523b52c/GCSE_mathematics_subject_content_and_assessment_objectives.pdf

Question styles might vary - although not much with AQA, OCR and EdExcel.

And if we bring it back to the topic of revision books, then a GCSE Maths revision book (Foundation or Higher) should be fine even if it's not board specific - as it will cover the maths being tested in the papers.