Yr 1 Maths - suggestions for resources to help please

[TrisMas]

Dd feels that she's struggling in maths. She is in the top set but said that she thinks she is really slow and isn't able to do as many sums as everyone else. She gets them right though.

I spoke to the teacher who said that she is definitely in the right group and is doing well but sometimes she takes a while to record the sums (I don't know if I'm correct in assuming that she means writing the sums?) and said that occasionally she gets muddled with where to put the symbols (for example when they ask them to write a sum, instead of writing 3+4=7 she wrote 3+4 7=) so they gave her some help with some cards and getting the numbers/symbols in the correct order.

She does mathletics at home and seems to do well, but is there anything else that might help? We bought her a couple of boardgames for xmas, sum swamp and the magic cauldron so we will play those, but has anyone used any other maths resources that might help? The school aren't worried at all but I just want to help her confidence if I can, because she is worried about it...

TrisMas:

My first port of call would be Woodlands Junior School Maths Zone: resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/

it's entirely free with all sorts of links to games/ further resources to support learning.

I wonder if your DD is struggling a bit with place value - so understanding that the position of the digits 0 - 9 in a number conveys the value - for example 9 in 498 indicates 90, 4 in 498 indicates 400, and so on.

Have a look at the games and worksheets in addition & the games in place value (especially the bead game) - they really will help. Just playing 10 minutes here or there will make a difference.

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Maths Champs (also free) has games for age groups. Your DD could try the games in the 5 - 7 age group: www.mathschamps.co.uk/#home - lots of practice reinforcing concepts and helping to build skill/ speed.

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away from the computer I'd recommend playing counting games:

21 or black jack is fantastic. Play open handed at first. Ace = 1, 2 - 9 as marked, Jack/Queen/ King all equal 10. The object is to get as close to 21 or exactly 21. If you go over 21 you're 'bust' and are out of the game. We spice it up by playing for smarties/ chocolate buttons.

Play snakes and ladders with more than one dice (may have to go up and down the board) - encourage your DD to do the addition in her head rather than count up.

For subtraction - play snakes and ladders backwards (again add more dice if you want larger numbers).

Number bond SNAP - I think one common mistake when schools say learn number bonds to 10 or whatever - is people just here that number - really useful to learn all the various ways to make 9 or 8 - will help with both addition and subtraction. So chose a number - say 9 - select out all cards

Past, thank you so much for your comprehensive response, there are loads of great ideas there that I can work on!! Your observation of what she may struggling with could be correct, although they are definitely working on that because she came out with something about that the other day. She said 'Mum, when you write down 27, the two is the twenty and the 7 is the seven.' Then she got a piece of paper, wrote down 27 and then did an arrow from the 2 and wrote 20 and an arrow from the 7 and wrote 7. So I think she's getting there with that. The teacher seemed to suggest that is was getting the symbols (+-×=) in the right order in a sum that they were asked to write down that she struggled with.

Education City was good for DS1 and I'm considering getting it again so that DS2 can have a go.

I think you can have a free trial and there are often codes around for it.

Ds2 is also in Y1 and is slow at recording answers because he wants to make sure it's right (what he said) He's has been having trouble with a lot more than your dd. I'm going to play some games that Past has suggested too!