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Original poster

Year 1 and behind in maths

33 replies

adoreyou · 31/01/2022 08:49

So we had a call with DDs teacher on Friday as DD is very behind.
I know she was getting a bit of extra support and I know from the bits of homework we have to do with her that she just doesn't get it.

I am conscious she's only 6 and saying she's behind this earlier feels a bit premature but in all so conscious of the the class loving onto things when can grasp the basics and then losing confidence and getting more behind.

The teacher is going to be doing extra bits with her and has given us worksheets to do at home.... but surely there are better ways to teach her rather then just using work sheets?
I try to make it fun at home but I'm running out of ideas especially as she is so resistant to any sort of "home work" Confused

Does anyone have any suggestions for ways of helping her with basics of counting, adding and subtracting

Thanks

OP posts:
LuchiMangsho · 31/01/2022 08:55

Can I recommend the Instagram account @countingwithkids? I used her to really break down math ideas for my kids.
She really strips it back to the basics and once I did that both my kids really ‘got it.’
For me maths has to be hands on and every day and not worksheets. Instead of addition work with blocks and show how three blocks and two blocks make five. And then if you take one of those sets away you are left with the other. For me understanding and visualising that is more important than knowing ‘fact families’ etc. Once the basics are secure the rest will come.

Original poster
adoreyou · 31/01/2022 09:00

Thanks! I check that out.

I had thought she could be more or a visual learner but when I've done practical things with her she is just so uninterested!

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MaizeAmaze · 31/01/2022 09:06

Play board games with dice.
Start with one dice and something like Busstop from Orchard games. When she's got the hang of that, try snakes and ladders with 2 dice.

I second counting with blocks. Something like these so you can put the separate parts together, then combine to get the answer.

Original poster
adoreyou · 31/01/2022 09:27

We play a lot of board games - and it was great that recently she could tell the number of dots without having to count! So that was a big step.

We have those blocks but we haven't really used them so it's def something we can look at!

OP posts:
LuchiMangsho · 31/01/2022 13:00

Five Minute Mum has a lot of games that can help as well.
Being able to tell how many of one thing there are without counting is a critical skill. It’s called subitizing. You want to now use this to build her number sense to 10 and then 20.

Original poster
adoreyou · 31/01/2022 13:50

@ItWasntMyFault great thank you I've ordered.

I also have the 5 minute mum! A desperate lock down purchased that was never utilised and forgot I had! Will have to dig it out.

Thanks

OP posts:
LostArcher · 31/01/2022 17:04

Start with number bonds to ten. Get cuisinnaire rods and make patterns. Be as visual and use movement as much as possible so throw two cusions on the floor, how many does she need to throw on the floor to make five cushions? Six cushions on the floor, jump on three, how many more.

You need to focus on the language of maths so lots of practice with more than, less than, under, over, lots of, add on, take one away, etc a whole cake, half the cake. Lots of language, lots of practical, lots of movement. And don't call it maths - call it helping. But cuisinaire rods make a good start

LostArcher · 31/01/2022 17:08

It may be that she hasn't grasped the twoness of 2 and the eightness of 8 yet. Numbers are totally abstract unless you know what they stand for. With the rods, once she can make the pattern of numberbonds to ten and realises that 3+7 is the same as 7+3 then set time challenges of how quickly she can make it up. Then she needs to work on transferring that to numbers - always use something as counters such as counters or even pasta shapes.

Numbersarefun · 31/01/2022 17:22

If you say that she needs help counting, then I would get this sorted first. Does she know the number names in order? Can she count 1 to 1? I.e using something she plays with, can she count them accurately (up to 20 objects) Does she point at each one as she says it or move it to a different place? Does she understand that if the cars are in a jumble that putting them in a line will help her count them and also that the number hasn’t changed. Count as you do things - going upstairs to bed, the number of stories she can have, count the buttons as she does them up, the number of pushes on a swing etc. Can you get out 4 plates for tea? Let’s put 6 cuddlies in your bed.

Original poster
adoreyou · 31/01/2022 17:41

She can count, she gets stuck at about 25..

We've tried to point out the pattern and stuff but she forgets, doesn't listen, or take it in.

If she sees a double digit number she'll say it backwards ... example she sees a door number, number 45.... she'll says 54

I think during the lock down early last year meant she missed a last chunk of learning as everything was on these stupid videos which even I thought were rubbish!!

This term she's meant to learn counting in 2s 5s and 10s

She's got 2s down! Which I was surprised at but has no idea re 5s and 10s!!

OP posts:
Herald44 · 31/01/2022 17:54

Watching this thread with interest! My DD is also 6 and struggles with similar things but unfortunately is in year 2 (August born). I wish her year 1 teacher had been as proactive as yours. She missed a chunk of year 1 due to lockdown and I knew she was behind but kept being told 'they will all catch up'. Well she didn't and now she is not much further forward in year 2 and her classmates are subtracting two digit numbers and recalling multiplication facts from memory. Thankfully her current teacher is great and she is part of an intervention group. I feel things improving.

We also do a lot of board games and a try to fit counting into daily life where I can. We also got a tablet and she does maths games on that every night while I'm putting the younger ones to bed which she enjoys and has helped.

Taking note of all the tips on here, so thank you for starting this thread!

Original poster
adoreyou · 31/01/2022 18:11

@Herald44 it's so tough isn't it!

I jump from thinking "she's still so young" to "but what if she never catches up"

My dd was having interventions too... not sure if she still is. But I just don't know how more worksheets is going to help!

Really thankful for the suggestions on here... slightly overwhelmed with the thought of the task ahead as I know DD will not be receptive to doing more home work!

OP posts:
Bunnycat101 · 31/01/2022 21:09

I wouldn’t try counting in tens unless she can get the number and place value sorted and solidly understands tens and units. My y1 child is pretty strong with counting but can’t get the concept of the ‘ten’ changing.

She could count in 10 by rote but she’s just had homework to do ten less and ten more than a given number and it might as well have been in French as she hadn’t grasped the underlying concept at all.

Porfre · 31/01/2022 21:18

One thing that helped mine was building her confidence up on maths.

I told her the truth. Everyone in our family is good at maths and that we are really good with numbers. That she is really good at maths and it is easy etc etc.

From a young age maths is always built up to be difficult in any kind of media.

The idea kids get is that it is difficult and they should be struggling. This just makes it worse.

It really helped that she has the confidence that she could actually do it,. It gave her the confidence to try and ot give up if she got it wrong the first time.

Marmite27 · 31/01/2022 21:22

What about a set of numicon? They’re a great visual for number bonds to 10. I think I paid about a fiver from Amazon for a set of 1-10 then similar from eBay for extra ‘5’s’ (how are you supposed to do 5+5 with only one 5? Confused).

They might be to babyish now, but would she watch numberblocks? They’re all on iplayer and there’s some free and paid for apps with them that mine have loved.

randomsabreuse · 31/01/2022 21:25

Does she like apps? Maths Factor has a free trial and is good for reinforcing from the beginning of Y1 content, including some counting content. Mathseeds (part of reading eggs but paid separately) is more varied and less focused on the English curriculum.

Maths Factor does teach the concepts with a video lesson - they seem useful to me. Carol Vorderman teaches them - although this might bring back shades of lockdown learning. Mathseeds is more cartoon based

lookforthesun · 31/01/2022 21:25

Numicon is such a great visual aid it really helped my children.

Also Maths Seeds on the computer. They do a free trial. Sit with her and she will love the game and characters. It’s very engaging and my children all made huge progress with it and begged to play it often.

Fallagain · 31/01/2022 21:28

Numberblocks on iplayer
Top marks - especially hit the button for number bonds
Do you know what she can do and what she needs to learn next?

RedToothBrush · 31/01/2022 21:30

This will sound daft but you could do a lot worse than simply watching CBeebies Numberblocks.

If its fun and doesn't feel like work and she learns just through watching it without realising, it will make it less daunting.

DS loved it and it really helped him.

MummyJasmin · 31/01/2022 21:35

Following

SparkleSpangle · 31/01/2022 21:42

Highly recommend DoodleMaths. You have to pay for it but it is amazing. DD is year 5 so i'm not sure what the more basic concepts are like.

You do the maths and earn stars which you can use to buy things like clothes and pets for your character.

The programme works out what you are struggling with and asks more/ easier questions on those topics and less/harder questions on the ones you do understand,

DilettanteMum · 31/01/2022 21:47

I agree numicon would be a good buy. Some kids learn more visually.

languagelover96 · 03/02/2022 11:50

Try times tables repetition. Lots of games too. I recommend CorbettMaths primary as well. When shopping ask her to tell you different prices of the items on the shelves and also play number games. You can and should make it completely fun, no worksheets or workbooks involved.

Or you can find a tuition centre but that is less fun. Build her confidence in maths slowly up over time. I love to use color coding technique it does help. Use different practical household objects like pillows, buttons, DVDs, books in order to help her learn how to count properly. You can even use old bottles. Randomly make up questions from time to time.

Chalk is a great tool. Find card games and also counting rods if possible. Number songs do work. Try bbc bitesize games.

CheshireChat · 03/02/2022 12:00

I can't help with any advice, but I remember lots of kids in my son's classroom were struggling with Math in year 1. So much so, they had a little support group after school one of the days. Most of them are doing OK now in year 2.