To think a 9/10 yo should be able to add 8+7 in their head?

[WittiestUsernameEver]

Am I missing something?

A few kids I've been with around 9-10 (yr 5) have struggled with what I'd consider simple mental arithmetic? So one definitely couldn't do 8+7, another struggled with 5+9, and the third child had a similar question.

Am I expecting too much? Is it the way maths is taught these days makes it harder somehow ? Don't they have to do this very much? I'm genuinely surprised.

My ds age 7 did this easily but my mind goes totally blank when asked this kind of mental arithmetic and I am dyslexic. I still managed to get an A at gcse but had to develop lots of strategies which others don't need. So maybe something more going on in the ones you asked?

My just turned 11 year got it straight away. My 9 year old took a little longer but got it too.

Yes it should be done

My five year old can do these sums immediately. He does seem to be pretty good at maths though.

My brain goes black when I'm asked mental arithmetic, I have to really focus on getting it working again to answer (though I have memorised a lot of simple sums as that's easier for me).

In their head?

Yes my DD is 9 (yr 4) and would be able to do this!

Maybe they aren't being taught very well at their school?

I'm quite bad at mental arithmetic though actually, some people just are, I'm a lot better at maths on paper (I have a science degree)

@WittiestUsernameEver Yeah, he's watched a lot of numberblocks in his life!

Same, I did stats at uni and got an A in maths at school, but still can’t add up numbers in my head.

I have dyscalculia which wasn’t diagnosed until I was in my final year at uni.

Number bonds to 20 were nailed by y1, timestables from y1-2. Fractions from year 3 onwards and adding and subtracting from Y5, maybe y4

Or darts!

I thought number bonds to 20 was done pretty early in KS1

My 9 year old might hesitate but his cohort were massively impacted by Covid. Lots of foundations like number bonds weren't covered. I see a huge difference between him and my 7 year old who wasn't impacted educationally by COVID.

I could do 12X multiplication tables at 10. Came in handy later but I never found a use for long division tbh. Maybe it's not taught the same - we used to chant the tables together. We'll all be snookered if the Internet goes down!

I just asked my DS6 and he was able to answer it.

My 19yo struggles with mental maths as she has working memory difficulties.

(Interestingly I discovered last week that neither of my adult DDs can say the months of the year backwards, though the doctors treating y 87yo Mum were impressed how well she could do this the day after a general anesthetic.)

My son has dyscalculia so would struggle if you put him on the spot like that, he doesn’t know his tables, not for want of trying and doing them every night they just didn’t stick I was the same but you learn go arounds and it’s not a measure of intelligence or ability if you can’t answer a ‘simple sun’ on the spot I’d likely have to think about it - am a nurse and do complicated drug calculations for tiny babies no problem at all but it’s different.

There is a big range amongst kids, and there are situations where kids who can do it freeze or struggle.

I would expect most of that age to be able to do it, because they will have practised their number bonds.

I’d have to use my fingers!

My Y1 child (who is fairly average) could definitely do those sums quickly and possibly in his head. He wouldn’t know them ‘instantly’ though. Neither would I and I’m 46. Those mentioning number bonds to 10 and 20, I don’t think that is relevant here. Number bonds are when children learn the combinations of numbers that add up to 10 and 20. My son (and 8 year old daughter who has SEN) can do those instantly.

I would say an ‘average’ 9 year old child could do those sums in their head very quickly and without difficulty. However, a child not being able to do it is not necessarily indicative of their intelligence or their mathematical ability.

I would say that many average 4 year olds would NOT be able to do those sums in their head, but being able to do it isn’t a marker for genius (however smug their parents are).

My DD is Y1 and working at the expected level for her age. She is able to work that sum out in her head.

Ah, hadn't thought of the COVID impact. This might be it. One child's school is implementing "COVID catch-up" I know

Exactly.

@WittiestUsernameEver I got a tutor for my son last year and numeracy is a huge issue for children in this age group due to Covid. I'm sure there will be a variance depending on household circumstances but for us, our DS hated home learning and we both worked full time from home with another child as well so didn't have time to home educate anything but the absolute basics.

I started as a year 1 TA in the run up to Christmas and they've covered "almost doubles" since then (so would know 7+8 is one more than double 7, or one less than double 8). I don't think they'd all get it right away but it's definitely being taught to 5 and 6 year olds.

Yep. My Y4 and Y2 could both do this.

My DC in year 2 could do this as could DC in year 5. Interestingly though the year 5 teacher has mentioned that several children have no issue at all with year 5 work in grammar or maths or spelling, etc but struggle with the basics, ie the things they missed in yr 1 and yr 2 due to Covid. The example she gave was a child using semi-colons confidently but then missing full stops and capitals.

Very definitely, my grandson is only just 4 and can add all numbers totalling up to ten quickly ‘in his head’.