Have been asked to support DS in reaching numeracy targets- looking for advice please.

[owlelf]

I have received a note explaining my reception child?s targets for this half term. I am unsure how best to support him with his 5 numeracy targets so any advice would be gratefully received.

The first two targets are:

Counting to 100 forward in 2s, 5s, 10s. I can help him to learn these but surely that would not be very useful as he would just be reciting them like a rhyme. Should he be understanding this rather than learning by rote? I wondered about drawing a big grid of numbers from 1 to 100 and then playing with this together to see how counting in 2s, 5s, and 10s would work?

Adding numbers between 1 and 20 together by counting on using fingers and number lines. I don?t really understand how number lines work and am not really sure how to support DS in learning to count on especially when he is adding a large number (and has run out of fingers).

I wondered about buying some games or posters or counting tools to help as I have a feeling that if we had something visual it might help.

Some of these targets seem a bit ambitious but I respect his teacher and want to support his learning as requested so any suggestions would be great?.

Seems ambitious for Reception.
Sure some teacher type person will be along soon.

Those are reception targets!! Ye Gods, look more like year 1 targets to me. Is it a private school OP?

No it is a local large primary.

I have to admit I am a little surprised by both these and his literacy targets (read with expression, write sentences with full punctuation and common conjunctions etc).

The children are streamed (they aren't aware of this, they think they are just different animal groups). DS is in the top stream and according to the letter I received he has been assessed in literacy and numeracy and these are targets appropriate for him .

The fact that they seem a bit tough makes me more inclined to want to support him if that make sense?

I am in two minds whether ask his teacher if he really is ready for this type of thing! I can't think why she would overestimate his abilities though......

Counting forward to 100, then by 2s, 5s and 10s. Agree that learning by rote should be avoided, but songs are useful (ants go marching 2 by 2, 100 bottles of ginger beer on the wall, etc...). However - use snakes and ladders and play with multiples (so if you role 3 - move forward 3 twos or 3 fives). Also use counting address numbers as you walk to school, the park, etc... - very useful for evens and odds as well (and counting on from two).

Once you've mastered the counting on trick (with or without a number square) - there are some good free on-line games here: www.familylearning.org.uk/counting_games.html or here www.free-training-tutorial.com/skip-counting-games.html under skip counting games for second website.

RE: number lines: this is annoying - but it's a child friendly explanation of what a number line is: . You can use a ruler or a measuring tape as a number line at home quite easily - to count larger numbers than 10 or 20. We find teaching how the measure - helps reinforce the concept of using the number line.

You can do a lot of this counting work at home with simply things like raisins, skittles or candies, baked beans. Also have an explore on the internet - there is tons out there. However - I recommend you view things first, just to be certain your happy with the content and the level of work.