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Original poster

Any teachers about please.

30 replies

NewLife4Me · 17/12/2015 17:02

I am looking for suggestions as to a way forward and also how you would manage this situation.

Despite having extra help from 2 teachers dd received 7% in her recent Maths test.
She was asked to do it again after some help and scored 14%.

She doesn't get Maths at all and as a result doesn't have any motivation at all. However, she realises it isn't going to go away and she'll have to work extra hard to manage to improve.

We have agreed to work through the test with dd during the holidays but I informed the school that ks3 Maths would be impossible for me to explain as I have severe learning difficulties with Maths. Dh can help but will be working a lot during the holidays and also dd needs a break too.
We have bought her the ks3 study book and will support the school and wonder if there is anything else we can do.

I also must add that despite her problems with Maths she is at a school for gifted children and is slightly above average in other bright in other academic subjects.

As a teacher if you emailed a parent to say you were concerned, what would be the next steps you would take and how long would it be before you asked for an assessment if funding wasn't an issue? i.e private school.

OP posts:
timelytess · 17/12/2015 20:55

As a parent (and this is me, I'm not saying you should do this), I'd want to give her a maths break for a month, then start again from the very beginning, playing with numbers and bonds, using objects as well as pictures. Move on fast as she shows her understanding of the basics. After a short period of practical successes, start writing down the work and answers, using aids for working out and as demonstrations of understanding. When she starts to flounder, go back and find different methods until she feels confident.

eatyourveg · 17/12/2015 20:47

Has anyone mentioned having her tested for dyscalculia? If it turns out that she is affected then there are specific approaches that could be implemented. See here

TeenAndTween · 17/12/2015 20:14

Not a teacher

You need to build very slowly based on what she does understand and what she can do.

You don't say what year she is in, but can she do all 'primary' maths? If not I agree with pp you need to go back to where she first gets lost.

Are there specific areas she struggles with:
basic numeracy, shape, data handling / graphs, word problems?

Does she understand number lines? Can she order numbers (including those with decimals) in order of size and put them onto a number line? They weren't around when I was at school but I think they're great.

Does using visual aids help? My DD took a clear Perspex box into her maths exams to help visualising 3D graphs. Both DD's learned column addition and subtractions using money and 'going to the bank to exchange 1 10p for 10 1ps' etc

But if you can't help, and DH is busy, then I'd go for a tutor if you can afford it.

Floralnomad · 17/12/2015 19:26

Could you afford a tutor to go back over the basics with her ?

trinity0097 · 17/12/2015 19:24

Sounds like she needs something far more basic than a ks3 study book, go back to basics with primary level stuff first.

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