y3 maths - getting worse

[monkey42]

Can anyone tell me if it is normal for maths ability to waver around a lot at the age of 7-8? My DS was doing well in maths in yr 2, but over the last year has slid down from top 1/3 of class to middle 1/3 and now to bottom 1/2 of class...school seem unconcerned but it seems alarming to him (different coloured groups they use) and in turn to me. As a hitherto unpushy parent the yr 2 maths was not the result of my doing anything at home to help. He's good at chess and seems to get things fine when i explain them to him. has anyone else experienced similar??

thanks

Could you do some maths at home with him?

Is it just in maths? If so, well maybe he's levelled out and the others have caught up. I think that's common in yr2.

Hi monkey42

There is a recognised 'dip' around Y3/Y4: Mumsnet has info on this here: www.mumsnet.com/learning/assessment/transition-dip

If you're after workbooks: Pearson (through Mumsnet Education/ Learning pages does sell books for age appropriate practice). here shop.pearsonforparents.co.uk/home.aspx. Carol Vorderman does a nice range by age.

If you feel you need to more systematically practice maths you might want to consider having a try a mathsfactor (also with Carol Vorderman): It's done by video tutorials and videogames. Roughly 1/2 hour to watch videos, warm up and then practice. there's a choice of one-off worksheets or you can sign up for on-line tutorials. info here: www.themathsfactor.com/

Our DD1 was completely unable to add numbers over 20 and subtract any numbers in March of Y2 and we've had great success systematically learning maths at home with this. It's relatively relaxed pace, with lots of practice so child really gets a good grounding in each skill. Lots of fun extras as well.

HTH

Hi richmal, smee and pastsellbydate

thanks for your replies: I bought some of the carol vorderman books and think they are great. I've decided to try going over each of the main topics at home to make sure he has the basics right. The 'dip' in yr 3/4 seems to imply that kids are not failing to progress but their results imply it - i@m not so worried about the latter,more that he is sliding about within the class - and in the wron direction!.

He was relatively stronger in maths all along, being one of the later readers in the class and it still apparently below class average in literacy but above it in spelling, and recently started to write long stories at home.

Hubby has dyslexia, undiagnosed in childhood as he could read and spell, leading to total rejection of school etc so as a precaution we will get him assessed to make sure there's nothing similar brewing

I teach year 3 and 4 and there is often a regression in yr 3 due to all the new methods they are beig taught and the expectation is higher. Lots of teachers in yr 3 stop using visual aids so much when some children really need them for longer. Try doing some maths games at home and really help them with times tables as this will give them an advantage and do lots for their confidence. There are lots of rhymes you can learn i,e, I ate and I ate till I was sick on the floor - eight eight's are sixty four. Get some mental maths tests at home as the language used in KS2 changes from 'lots of' to 'product of' etc which an be confusing.

What level was he at at the end of key stage 1 and what level is he at now?

Ds1 was on the top table at the beginning of year 2 for literacy but now midway through year 3 he is on the bottom table. He is still making progress and reaching age level expectations, it's just that a lot of the other children have overtaken him.

hi candr, that's helpful to know, it certainly feels that something is not working in the way he is being taught, as he gets it when i show him. There's certainly a lot more to yr 3 in terms of material covered i agree, and one of the problems is that he gets set homework from schofield and sims times table 2 every week and claims not to have covered several of the concepts (eg 2/5 of 15 =..) so i try to explain but don't know what's actually been done in the class ?? The language is certainly an issue ( times ,multiply, product etc all meaning the same etc)

Haziedoll - we weren't told where they were in KS1, school has only just sharing this info with us this year

your experience though sounds very like mine, have you just assumed this is normal variation in development ( a bit like growth?!)

Yes, I just think it is part of his development. There aren't any issues with his knowledge, he has the understanding but not always the concentration or maturity to apply it (late summer birthday).

He is stronger at Maths and very competitive and as a result tries harder.

I've had a lot of movement in my maths groups throughout this year.

From my limited knowledge of child development, children have a big leap aged around 7.

Some do the big leap in year 2, and some in year 3. Hopefully, by year 4, everyone has leapt!

Perhaps it's just that he had a particularly good year last year, and so his progress is slowing this year. Or perhaps the transition has knocked him.

You are doing the right thing in getting involved at home. There is no substitute for regular practice at maths. Make sure he gets very familiar with all the chapters in his maths school text book. Practice and revision are the key for those 'sticky' areas.