Year 2 maths

[acatcalledchinchi]

Hello! This is my first post on Mumsnet, so bear with me!

My DS is 6 years old and currently in year 2. He is the youngest in his year, and also has mild CP. Ever since he started he started school, his reports from parents evenings have always shown triangles next to each area, meaning that he has been below what is expected of him from this age.

However, something seems to have clicked with him since Christmas, and now has a whole new understanding of maths (the area his teacher felt was the biggest concern). I even told his teacher about a dream I had that it was parents evening again and his report still showed triangles, and I started crying saying that all the hard work we had done for him had gone to waste. She reassured me that we wouldn't be seeing triangles on his next report, and since then I have felt a huge wave of relief that he is finally catching up.

I regularly ask his teacher for topics that they will be covering in class so that I can gear the support we give him at home accordingly. She said according to his last assessment, he has moved up to level 2c, and that we need to be aiming for a 2b. She has given a short list of areas to work on based on the last assessment, and this includes 'adding 2 2-digit numbers, and adding 3 2-digit numbers'. To me this seems highly advanced for year 2? He has shown no idea of knowing how to add more than one number by using long addition (one number above the other), but am I being daft in thinking that they are expected to work this out mentally?

So, to cut a long post short, Im really just wondering if, with him being on level 2c, is he much behind the level expected of him at this stage? Is expecting him to work out 3 2-digit numbers not a little advanced? If not, is there any easy way to teach?

What she's said, is about right. At a level 2, most children are still using a number square. Around level 3 is when the concept of the number square becomes something they understand, and no longer need to see in front of them.

So in Year 2, the most common way to add, is like this:
24 + 35
Find 24 on the number square. Now add three tens (30) by counting down three rows..34..44...54. Then add the 5 units (ones) by counting on five...55...56...57..58..59. That's your answer.

If you had three numbers:
24+45+17
EITHER start at the beginning, or start with the biggest and add on.
If starting at the beginning:
Find 24. Count down 4 rows (4 tens) to 64, then count on five ones (69). Then count down another row (ten) and count on seven. There's your answer.

There are many, many more ways to do it than this, but that's the most common I've seen!

Thanks bronya! I'm so daft with never even thinking about using a number square

I was told that, for a L3, they arent allowed to use any apparatus (number lines/squares, cubes, numicon etc). They need to show their workings out

His school uses Mathletics, and we have only briefly looked at adding 2 2-digit numbers together and they use the long addition method. Do you think it would be wrong of me to get him used to using this method? I don't want to go against how school have/haven't taught, but surely that's how they will all work such sums out eventually?

I feel like I'm panicking over the littlest of things

For L3 yes, but at L2 they can have a number line, number square and cubes.

I would ask what method they are teaching at school. If the teacher has given you a list of what she wants you to work on then she should be happy to show you the methods she is teaching. I doubt they are doing column addition in year 2. Most schools wouldn't be.

Showing workings might be something as simple as doing 56 + 42 by drawing a blank number line and showing the jumps or by writing

56 + 40 = 96
96 + 2 = 98

or

50 + 40+ 6 + 2 = 98

Thanks for the great replies! Think I need to stop worrying so much

Sorry, I meant as he is a L2 he can use any equipment he wants to rather than using written methods. Should drink less wine make sure I explai myself properly!

Can I just ask if using any equipment also applies when they are taking their maths SATS paper?

For level 2 SATS test children have access to equipment tiredbutnotweary

Thank you!

2C at this time of year is fine. On average children move a sub-level a term; expected level for the end of the summer term is 2B; so well on track to be a 2B. It sounds like everything is falling in to place, mathematically, for you child, and that you are both working really hard and should be really proud of his progress. Well done.

Thank you TheGruffalo2. I'm so proud of him it's untrue. With having two other children (5 and 3), sometimes it can be hard to work with him at home but even the amounts we've been doing together has proven to be working!

So I've just found his report from parents evening in October. His level then was 1b and hadn't changed since July 2013. His teacher commented the other day that he was now a 2c and according to the report from October, the age related level for summer 2014 is 2b.

So he's gone from a 1b to a 2c in 4 months- the levels don't mean anything to me, but I'm guessing he's gone up two levels??

It doesn't surprise me that he hadn't gone up between July and October - that is completely normal, so don't worry about that bit. Yes, you are correct that means two sub-levels in about the equivalent of a term - so "better than expected progress" to use the jargon. That is one of the reasons I love teaching Year 2. Lots does click into place and progress can be amazing. It is so wonderful to see the "Yes, I get it" light-bulb look on their little faces in maths lessons. Not taking anything away from what you and your son have achieved as you've both worked so hard, but it is often a time when slow starters suddenly take off - it's what gets me up in the morning!

It's been lovely watching him learn and flourish I really hope that I can just keep him as enthusiastic about learning as he has been. We had an episode today where he kicked up more than a fuss because he didn't want to sit and do maths, even though he usually loves it when I print him worksheets off. I don't want to push him too hard yet I don't want him falling behind again. It's a fine line

Mathletics is good - but costs £39 a year

School have subscribed and he loves it. He aims for a certificate every week and to be honest I think he's the only one in his class who uses it as often as he does. I installed the iPad version too and he thinks its fab

Sometimes the main issue is that he thinks he can't do something even though he's more than capable. I wanted him to just have a practise playing with numbers this afternoon, so it was a sheet adding up three 1-digit numbers. It was basic maths that he is more than able to manage, but for some reason had a meltdown saying that it was too difficult. He attempted it, but was then making silly mistakes by not counting on properly and just rushing instead. Cue lots of years and lots of trying to reason with him, but he was having none of it Hoping that for him it was just one of those days

Good to hear that. Our school has only just subscribed and it is costing us quite a bit, but if children are enjoy it and using it out of school as well I think we can justify it. I'm monitoring my class and I think the novelty value is high at the moment and most are using it at least 5 days a week at home. Not sure how long that will last though. Even if it is beneficial long term for just a few I will fight to keep it next year!

Hi acatcalledchichi

Mumsnet has this guide to progress through NC Levels - www.mumsnet.com/learning/assessment/progress-through-national-curriculum-levels

NC Level sub-levels work from c (just starting to work at the level) to b (securely working in the level) to a (mastered the level and starting to work at the next level up).

So a 2c (and this is mid-way through Y2) is just one sub-level below expected progress which is 2b by end Y2.

Genuinely - it sounds like he's doing o.k. and if he keeps up the good work he should be fine.

HTH