Maths Comprehension?

[muffinflop]

DS (6) is really good at maths. His teacher sent home a SATS booklet just for something extra for him to do and told me not to help him with any of it so she can work out where/if he needs help anywhere. I know he can do the maths but he doesn't seem to understand the question sometimes. eg one of the questions was 'write 89 backwards in words' and DS wrote 'enin ythgie' (eighty nine backwards!). Another one gave numbers like 87, 574 etc and asked him to write what the 7 represented and he didn't understand what represented meant.

How can I help him with his comprehension of the questions? It's frustrating because I know he can do the maths work if that makes sense!

Does she mean what does the 7 represent as in hundreds, tens and units? He could put the numbers into a chart. I'm not sure what writing words backwards is going to achieve though If he's ahead then this is extension work??

Yes that's what it means belle. It's a question in an actual SATs book! He knows the hundreds, tens and units, he knew what it meant when I told him (although I was told not to help but he was getting frustrated!) but what he didn't know was what the word 'represented' meant so he didn't know how to answer the question. Am I making sense?!

As for the writing backwards, what he was supposed to do was write 'Ninety Eight'. I think!

The 'write 89 backwards in words' is a prime example of 'ask a silly question get a silly answer' - while I'd guess most of us would write ninety-eight, its a ambiguous and I like your DS's answer!

The other question sounds too hard for a six-year old too, to understand and to then express what it means verbally.

Does the SATs book say what level its testing - sounds like it might be aimed at an older age group with more advanced language skills.

I haven't actually looked at the front of the book grimma. I just assumed it was the year 2 SATs. If someone tells me it's not what it's the year 2 SATs I think I will relax a bit! I'll check to see if it's got a level on it when he gets home

It's frustrating knowing he can do the maths easily but doesn't understand the way the questions are written so is getting simple things wrong

I would note that he had difficulty understanding the word represented, but understood that the 7 was worth 70. put the words you used to explain it to him down too. the teacher will then be able to judge what she needs to teach him, ie how to do the test.

the 89 question is just a silly question. childern would lose maks because some idiot has not thought how to word the question properly.

Agree the 89 backwards is a silly Q!! Also given his age, it's ok that he didnt undertsand the meaning of the word represented and for you to explain (By help, the teacher meant with the maths answer itself). My sons are good at maths but they sometimes have to have the Q explained to them!

Hi muffinflop:

I think the teacher might just be trying to gauge maths ability (which sounds extremely high to me) for his age. This may be part of assessing him as 'gifted' and moving him 'up' in maths tuition.

Some schools allow younger children to join higher year group maths lessons. So a gifted Y3 might join Y4 for maths, rather than continue with work that is a doddle.

I would take the instruction literally at this point. It sounds like he can cope with the straightforward numbers but has some difficulty with comprehension of instructions (possibly through limited experience/ vocabulary).

Is he reading these instructions himself as well?

I'd record whether you have to read for him or not? Whether you had to explain instructions or not? Whether he then did the problems on his own or needed help.

Let the teacher know the results and talk with the teacher about why they are doing this. It could be that they are giving him differentiated work (in this case the SAT workbook) to keep his interest and make it a challenge but I also suspect it is about establishing what he does and doesn't know and how well he's coping with maths terminology/ expression. It may be that he's ready to move up mathematically, but isn't ready in terms of reading ability.

There is a ladybird book called "words we need for numbers" - one read through of this with your lad and he will be wizzing through these questions - and yes they do sound from your examples like Year 2 SATS.

I have to say as a Y2 the questions you mention aren't at all familiar and I'm not sure what the teacher has actually sent home. Presumably an old test as an example ... You are allowed to read the questions for him (not the numbers) and you can't explain how to go about finding the answer but many children struggle with that aspect rather than the mechanics.

www.emaths.co.uk/KS1SATS/2001Booklet.pdf

The year 2 SATs papers are awful and expect far too much of young children!! A funny story for you...some of the question s say 'Show how you worked it out' and a child on my class drew himself sat at a table writing!!! Just shows these poor children are too young for these test situations!!!

Pupils can ask for non-mathematical-vocab words to be explained to them in tests. Teachers have a list of the mathsy words they shouldn't explain.

Represent would be fine to explain.

Was it an actual SATs past paper or one of those silly faux SATs books? I can't believe 'write 89 backwards in words' was ever a real question as it wouldn't have got through quality control.

Ooh sorry just read he's 6 and not Y6. That question is possible in those awful things. Ignore teacher and explain what they're asking imo.

I have done an analysis (by child) of Y2 SATs papers. A child can get a 2C (not far under expected level) without getting one calculation question (add, take away, multiply or divide) correct!
I would question their overall reliability!

Sorry I've only just realised I had more replies!

The book claims to be a SATs revision book. I'm not sure what year it's from though. He's doing ok with it. He has got most of the answers correct from what I can see but there are just some really stupid questions in it.

One question is 'What is the nearest 100 to these number?'. Two of the numbers are '24' and '550'. For the first one (closest 100 to 24) he's written '100' but looking at the answers in the back (which he hasn't realised are there thankfully) it says the nearest 100 to 24 is actually 0 - surely 0 isn't a 100!? For the nearest 100 to '550' he's written '600'. DH and I couldn't agree on the answer to that one but DS was correct (according to the answers in the back of the book). I'm not even sure my explaining is making sense let alone the question.

Yes he can read the questions but the wording on some of them just doesn't make any sense. I'm torn between returning it unfinished to the teacher and just letting him get on with it

Explain the wording to him.

It takes ages to develop decent tests because it is so easy to misinterpret even the simplest of phrases. Even then, teachers are allowed to explain non-mathematical phrases to pupils, because we want them to show what maths they can do, not trick them.

Those 'SATs revision books' which have no endorsement whatsoever by the people producing/regulating the actual tests are often so badly written it's a disgrace. Yet the publishing companies make out they are somehow official and squeeze tons of money out of concerned parents and schools under pressure.

Can you tell I feel strongly? Sorry for thread hijack - you can quote me to the teacher if she keeps insisting you don't help him understand the wording.

Btw, you can round down to zero if that's the nearest, even though it sounds odd.

The halfway point is always rounded up, so 550 to the nearest hundred is 600, 5.5 to the nearest whole number is 6 etc. They had to choose which way to go so convention is now to round up.