Year 1 Maths

[dancingbear]

Is counting in 3's on the Year 1 syllabus or is it a nice to have - building a foundation for the 3 times tables for next year?

I just fail to see the benefit of learning to count forwards and backwards in 3's - isn't 2's. 5'5 and 10's sufficient? I'd never consider counting in 3's.

My ds is struggling with this (amoung other things) and I'm wondering whether it's worth focusing on this when other bit of Maths seem more useful.

I think it is supposed to help introduce the concept of times tables (don't quote me)

Yes - it helps with times tables.

DS is in Year 3 and he still uses the counting up in 3s method to figure out his 3 times tables.

If i am honest so do i

Thanks for all your replies - if it helps to bed in the concept of the 3 times tables then I'll use that angle to help consolidate his learning at home.

It is for times table practise - pre learning skills. They will do it with other numbers too, and will continue to do so in Y2 and possibly beyond.

learning any number pattern is good practise in Mahs surely.

"learning any number pattern is good practise in Mahs surely."

I'm not sure - I suppose it depends how much time you have.

I've never learned to skip count in 3's and in all my years of Maths training (up to Degree level) I've never felt the need to either - hence asking the question...but if the feeling is now that it helps reinforce the times tables, then I'll add it to the list of things I need to help ds with.

How schooling has changed from when I was a lass.

Children are now expected to know their times tables by the end of Year 4. Of course, some learn them earlier and others take much longer.

By know them, they should be able to recall any number fact up to 10 x 10.

Being able to count in steps is building this foundation.

It really can make all the difference if children can recall these facts. I teach maths (and other subjects) to y5, y6 and y7. Certainly by the time children reach Key Stage 3 alot of the curriculum relies on knowing these facts and, if they don't, then they are adding more work by having to solve everything in extra steps.

Not saying it is right or wrong, simply stating the facts as I see them when teaching Y7 students who don't know them.

If nothing else, please help your child to learn them.

I work as a TA in a Y1 class. We do a lot of number pattern work, forward and backwards, and in different steps and from different starting points. We tend to do it mainly as a whole class activity, either as a starter or a plenary session in numeracy.

I think as well as being good for pre times table learning, it also gives the children a good grasp of numbers, how they relate to one another and how they work together. The way numeracy now works throughout key stage 1.

Not sure why I got a for the comment personally though.

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Ok so what about pryamid no#'s thats another pattern and moer interesting then counting in 3's?

I would imagine that throughout the primary curriculum and into the secondary children will continue to do lots of number patterns., including pyramin numbers. As already said - Maths is about lots of patterns, especially when laying down the foundations.

TBH we could say similar types of comments "what's the point" about many aspects of maths. When was the last time I made use of Pi? When did I last use trigonometry? Why do I need to know a prime number? etc.

I can see far more use for being able to count in 3s than the above TBH.

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I thinkt he reason why the get children to count in 3s, etc BTW is to show what is happening, to show how the numbers relate to one anohter - as opposed to just reciting times tables verbatum. The latter is good for learning number facts, but not good for understadning WHY

I used pi to figure something out -can't remember what now but have used it in last year. And trig came in when building ds' climbing frame. Am thinking i might need to go hide in shame

lol oneforward; a least someone is using those bits of information!

Ahh remember was making a hat thingy (don't ask) not really sure if it is aproper use though more stab in dark

As I mentioned earlier DS is now in Year 3 and he struggles with his times tables (I am TRYING to help he - he just hates it!) but he uses the counting up in 3s to help him so it is worth learning.

I would so agree that learning the times tables is so worth it though. We tried to get the school to do a Times Tables Challenge week for the school this term but it seems to have been forgotten. This was prompted by quite a few parents of Year 6 students saying that their children didn't know their times tables. They don't seem to learn them off by heart like we did in my day. We got hit with a ruler if we didn't know them!