6yo DD assisted for most subjects in class

[TeaKeepsMeSane]

Background:

Parents evening: 6yo DD is in "bottom" group for all core topics in her class. She has been through - and benefitted tremendously from - a reading recovery programme this year. Tonight we found out that she is one of 6 kids (out of 90) who gets extra literacy and numeracy tuition twice a week. Her teacher did say that this as funding is limited they only offer this to children who they believe will truly benefit from it and make progress as a result of it.

The examples I got: In literacy the rest of the class has moved on to structured stories with speech marks, commas and adverbs - DD still hasn't grasped full stops, capitals, sentences and adjectives.

In maths: she writes 14 as 41 because she hears the 4 first. She can't grasp maths language - she understands what 'take away' is but gets confused by 'minus', 'subtract', 'less than' etc.

I asked if they felt she was trying her best. They said she doesn't always listen, is easily distracted and is generally in a bit of a world of her own but that they believe she is operating to the best of her ability. She is very happy at school, has lots of friends and is generally a content little thing. She is great at sport and art. She is an August baby.

Question

What do I do with all of this? Do I start trying to do extra work at home? And if so what do I focus on? Or do I just let her carry on operating at current levels and focus on the (non-academic) things that she is good at as a way of keeping her the confident, happy little thing she is? Does it really matter that she is not great at the traditional school subjects? Anyone been here got the t-shirt?

Thanks Fleur x

I'd do lots of reading to her and talking about the stories plus making sure that she reads her school reading book to you daily. Lots of talk generally with no background distractions like tv. For maths, lots of cooking, board games and general maths talk as you go about daily life.

Is she in Year2 ?

I was a TA / helper in primary schools for over twenty years. I'm now retired, but it does seem that standards are being raised in schools, and things can be beyond what some children can manage at any given age.

I'll give below a couple of things that may help. But don't push her too hard; let her set the pace on what she wants to have a go at:

ONE - An inexpensive and easy to use book, that can encourage children with reading, spelling and writing, and really help them to understand Phonics, is reviewed in the MN Book Reviews section. Just search ‘Phonics’.

TWO - ?Practical things are best for grasping number concepts - bricks, Lego, beads, counters, money, shapes, weights, measuring, cooking.

Do adding, taking away, multiplication (repeated addition), division (sharing), using REAL OBJECTS as just 'numbers' can be too abstract for some children.

Number Bonds of Ten forms the basis of much maths, so try to learn them. Using Lego or something similar, use a LOT of bricks (of just TWO colours, if you have enough) lay them out so the pattern can be seen of one colour INCREASING while the other colour DECREASES. Lay them down, or build up like steps.

So:

ten of one colour none of other
nine of one colour one of other
eight of one colour two of other
seven of one colour three of other

etc,

then of course, the sides are equal at 5 and 5; after which the colours 'swap over' as to increasing/decreasing.

To learn TABLES, do them in groups that have a relationship, thus:

x2, x4, x8

x3, x6, x12

5 and 10 are easy

7 and 9 are rather harder.

Starting with TWO times TABLE, I always say: "Imagine the class is lining up in pairs; each child will have a partner, if there is an EVEN number in the class. If one child is left without a partner, then the number is ODD, because an odd one is left out."

Use Lego bricks again, lay them out in a column of 2 wide to learn 2x table. Go half way down the column, and move half the bricks up, so that now the column is 4 bricks wide. That gives the start of 4x table.

Then do similar things with 3x and 6x.

With 5x, try and count in 'fives', and notice the relationship with 'ten' - they will alternate, ending in 5 then 10.

It is important to try and UNDERSTAND the relationships between numbers, and not just learn them 'by rote'.

An inexpensive solar powered calculator (no battery to run out!) can help learn tables by 'repeated addition'. So: enter 2+2 and press = to give 4. KEEP PRESSING = and it should add on 2 each time, giving 2 times table.

There are good web sites, which can be fun to use :

www.ictgames.com/

www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/page/default.asp?title=Woodlands%20Junior%20School&pid=1

If she doesn't understand maths language that's a bit concerning.

I'd get her assessed by a speech therapist if I could to rule out all sorts of things.

Hello OP

You could so esily be describing both mine and dds problem areas and we are both severley dyslexic.
I'm not saying your dd has dyslexia or any other disability, but feel it should be assessed.
I am so glad she is content and I would be playing lots of number and word games.
Cooking is brilliant for maths and as she progresses through practical application you can make it harder as she goes through the school.

What is the standard of the class generally? Ds2 is in y2 and I would say at least half the class in still mastering capitals, full stops and adjectives. Only the most able are using speech marks and adverbs with any degree of fluency/reliability and all but one of these have birthdays in the first six months of the school year.

In your position I'd concentrate on reading and basic numeracy (with real things as mentioned above).

My six year old is similar. I would be thrilled with the extra support you describe. It is hard to get at our school

Just retread your op. Mine is great at sport and art too! Also popular.

I have an 8year old as well as a six yo and I would agree with pp who said that standards have been raised unrealistically high. Ds1 was not writing legibly at six, let alone using reliable punctuation. However, he is in higher ability groups for everything now.

I'm a TA in a year 2 class (six and seven year olds) and don't think your DD is that unusual.
There are children in my class the same, need reminding about full stops and capital letters, while others use paragraphs, speech marks and adverbs correctly.

I wouldn't worry, she is getting great support by the sounds of it, and there is still time to progress by the end of the school year. Some children just 'get it' and shoot ahead. It's amazing to see.
Just carry on with the reading, asking questions about the story, characters etc.
Count with her, especially in twos, threes, fives and tens.
Work on the number bonds as ferguson described in her excellent post.

Above all, try not to worry

Also to echo mollie, my DS11 was struggling in ks1, and now in year 6 is in the top ability groups,set to achieve level 5 in the upcoming sats.
I remember worrying so much about him at the same age........