Reversing numbers

[Musicteachingmum]

I'm wondering if anyone can offer me some good advice.

My daughter has just finished year 2. She gained a 2b in maths. However, she is still reversing certain numbers a lot of the time.

She did some maths type work of her own accord this morning - she quite often chooses to sit down and do some 'work' as she is a studious type - and so I had the opportunity to actually watch what she does.
She reversed quite a few numbers but was able to tell me what was wrong straight away. I think the problem may well be down to some bad teaching she received in year 1 - a lot of the trouble started there, having been taught to form her numbers well through pre-school and Reception.

What can I do to help her? How big and issue is it going in to KS2? Will it have affected her test mark in KS1? (Last one not a major issue, just a matter of interest, as we were satisfied with her result, although she is a very bright girl - schools opinion as well as ours!)

Hi there. I'm wondering if she ever reverses letters when writing too (eg bd or pq). Letter and number reversals are not too unusual in young children so I wouldn't worry too much at the moment. I'd continue as you are, helping her to see when she has reversed a number and correcting it. She should slowly "grow out " of it and IMO it shouldn't be too much of an issue for starting KS2. If she still has the same level of problem in a year's time - then maybe you could start asking questions about dyslexia/dyspraxia but if she doesn't have any other signs of problems (reading/spelling problems, problems with speed and formation of handwriting) than it is unlikely to be an issue

Hope this helps
Sarah

Thanks

No, she doesn't reverse any letters. Both her reading and writing are developing well, without problems (2A, 2B). I'm sure it's some confusion over teaching. Year 1 teacher frequently contradicted Reception teacher, and my daughter, being a good listener, is particularly prone to confusion. Y2 teacher has been much better, but we still haven't cracked it yet!

Some fun ways you could practise writing numbers over the summer:

Use some ordinary house painting brushes and water. Let her paint large numbers with water on the patio/wall. Kids love doing this and it is great because it doesn't leave any mess! Don't use your best decorating brushes though as it really wears them out.

Make long "sausages" of plasticene or play dough and bend them into numbers.

Put a thin layer of dry rice or salt in a small tray and let her practice writing numbers using her finger. Gently shaking the tray will erase previous writing and leave a smooth layer to try again. You can jazz up the salt or rice by mixing in glitter.

Chalk a hopscotch grid on a patio or drive and let her write in the numbers before playing hopscotch. This does leave some mess but in my experience it washes off in the rain eventually. If you are really brave you could do it on a carpet indoors using dressmaker's chalk which should just brush off.

Get some ready made icing pens and ice some biscuits with numbers. White icing goes really well on chocolate biscuits.

Buy a small whiteboard and whiteboard pens and play "schools" and get her to write some sums for you to do on the whiteboard.

Have fun!

Hi!

Thanks, again!

Ideas sound good, and mess is not an issue!

I like Sarahfreck's ideas.

Also I bought this number writing chart from Waterstones. It's a wipe clean chart with the dots showing where to start the stroke for each number and dashed lines for her to follow. I put it on DS's bedroom wall and he loves grabbing a wipe clean marker and writing his numbers while I run the bath!

The repeated and varied exposure will help the correct number formation become second nature.

I think the most important thing I've learnt over the years when it comes to forming numbers or letters is that it needs an adult sit down for a few minutes each day to watch and encourage not just let the child write over dots or highlighter pen or trace

My dd (end of year 1, age 6) also does this with most numbers.

She is left handed and - until recently - wrote fluently in mirror writing.

However, at school they spend a lot of time on forming letters properly and doing joined up, so her writing has corrected itself. They don't get taught numbers in the same way.

So, if it's worrying you, you may want to buy some number forming worksheets. I'm not worrying about it yet with my dd, but might in a years time.

The really frustrating thing, is that she was taught to form her numbers properly before year 1 and was doing really well. But then had a teacher who'd say things like "I know you've been taught to do it differently, but I WANT you to do it this way" - to my rather oversensitive daughter this literally meant you MUST do it this way and no other way - hence the confusion combined with lots of stress and tummy aches throughout year 1. Year 2 much better and I thought the numbers would right themselves, but we havent got there yet.

However, daughter is now mature enough to know that it needs sorting and is happy to do some fun work with me.