Is it that my dd just doesn't 'get' maths?

[goatshavestrangeeyes]

DD is 6 and in year 2. Just had an end of term report and reading is at level 3b, writing at 3c but maths at 1a? I don't really understand all of the levels etc but i'm just surprised at the difference between them. Does that seem right?

Also what can i do with her to help bring her maths along, as her effort was only acceptable and i really think she struggles to enjoy it. Thanks in advance.

I'm not sure tbh, it just said 1a for maths and then a tick in a box which said it was below average? I presumed they were meant to be on level 2c at the END of year 2 but after reading her report i wasn't sure iykwim?

I will take a look into some study books, so far i have just printed some worksheets from the internet and gone through those with her. I think she struggles with writing it all down, she likes to try and work things out in her head but not know how to translate it onto paper!

the target is 2b by the end of the year and most pupils go up by one sub level a term, so she will be 2c next term and 2b at then end of the year. Thus she is just on target. If she is in a school with lots of high performing students then this will be below average. I suppose the school might be concerned aboutt the big gap between the exceptional progress in literacy with the average progress in maths

I'd try Schofieldandsims Mental Maths books, which you can work through together at home. And, I'd try anything to do with Singaporean Maths (www.singaporemath.co.uk/). If you can find the website for the USA, there's a placement test to help you decide where to start, though you can't buy any of their materials through that site. For materials, Amazon or this site (www.mathsnoproblem.co.uk/?pg=home) are your best bet.

Hi goatshavestrangeeye:

First off - here www.satsguide.co.uk/sats_resources_area/sats_levels_results_and_timetable.htm is a very brief guide to the SATS levels at KS1.

Basically 2b or above at the end of Y2 (around May/ June time) is national expected level.

So that being the case your DS is doing exceedingly well in reading and writing, but may be grasping maths a bit more slowly, but is more or less on track. In general children progress 2-3 sub-levels per year - so working at 1a now puts him more or less on track for 2c/ 2b in May.

But yes, it sounds like you might want to start to notice how your son is doing with his basic number facts to 20. It may be that he's struggling with addition and subtraction once he's working with numbers over 10. My DDs both struggled at this stage.

Try something very simple. Try rolling a single die and subtracting those numbers from 10. If that's going well, try a few more two-digit numbers (maybe 11, 12, 13 & 14. Then keep working up to 20. It's sometimes helpful if you have checkers or legos to set out the number your subtracting from (so for example if you are taking 5 from 20 - set out 20 legos and then have your DS remove 5). Sometimes the link of visually seeing what is happening and writing it really helps.

Y2 is also when the first times tables are introduced - usually 1, 2, 5 and 10 are introduced first. Again, some children (and definitely mine) have initial difficulty linking multiplication with multiple addition of the same number - so 4x5 = 5 + 5 + 5 + 5. Using legos or checkers does help with this visualisation early on.

If you feel the issue is speed and what he requires is more practice - I heartily recommend Tux of Math Command. You can set it for ability level and just work through addition, subtraction, multiplication, division (inverse of multiplication) slowly and step by step. You can find info on Tux of Math Command and how to download here: tux4kids.alioth.debian.org/tuxmath/

Finally, BBC KS1 Bitesize www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/ - has a number of videogames to help review many points of the national curriculum in advance of SATs.

Sorry Goatshavestrangeeyes - just realised it was DD not DS.

She does struggle with her times table, i mean she can count quite happily in 2s, 5s, 10s etc but askig her the times table and she just goe blank! As for adding she can do that just fine, we have had her at home adding things like 26+55 and getting her to lay it out correctly so she can work it out etc. Subtracting i think she does struggle with but will try and sit down and find some games we can play to help with that.

I will check out the links you have provided, thaks v much!

But it seems that as she enjoys reading and writing she will put more effort into them and thats why we have seen such a huge imporvment, when she started yr2 her reading level was 2c! So she has come on heaps since sept i'm very proud bless her.

And sorry for the typos!

One more thing about Singapore Maths: it doesn't just teach procedural knowledge (i.e. times tables, etc.); it also teaches conceptual understanding. This is probably why the Singaporeans are in the top three of the world maths league tables every year.

Hi goatshavestrangeeyes:

It sounds like you DD is doing pretty well - but may be borderline for level 2.

If fundamental subtraction (numbers up to 10) is the problem - try playing snakes and ladders backwards.

Anyway best of luck. Hang in there and just try to focus on what the hang ups are - if you identify the sticking point and practice this with your daughter it will resolve itself, I'm sure.

My DD is 11 and doing very well in language, reading etc - in fact had read all Harry Potter books when she was 7/8.
However she still cannot get to grips with maths - it is as if there is just a block there. She will learn something one day and the next day it is groundhog day. Her brain just does not seem to retain the info. At 9 she was unable to add 10 to any number! Even with times tables she will take a guess at the answer even if she has just recited one of them.
Over the years I've spent a lot of time with her and bought the Schofield and Sims mental maths books and I've now accepted that maths is not one of her subjects and concentrate on what she is good at