Advice needed to help my daughter...

[Lulu1981]

Hi All, my daughter is just 6 and in year 1. She is a very bright little girl running at about 2.5 years ahead of herself in Literacy. At parents evening last week the teacher advised us that although she is running at a level of 2a in Numeracy she is not as confident with this. I have helped her an awful lot at home with readingm writing and spelling but have steered clear from the maths as schools tech it so differently to how I was taught and I wouldn#t want to confuse her. She is a very shy reserved little girl and I would love to be able to boost her confidence with Maths as she does enjoy it, but I wouldn't know where to start at home. Are there any workbooks or websites I can use which will help me teach her maths as it is taught in schools. Thanks

Does she really enjoy literacy? Some children will favour one subject because they are slightly better at and and then assume they are 'not good' at the other one because they find it slightly less easy. When infact they are good at both. It's a perspective thing really.

As she is in year one, I wouldn't bother trying to give here extra work. It may be counter-productive. Instead use maths in everday settings such as the shops, timetables for buses, adding up scores when playing games. At this age most maths is mental anyway so i wouldn't worry too much about methods.

Ok thanks, I think you may be right that she favours the literacy as it comes more natural.

She enjoys learning, she preferes to sit with her books than her toys. She does lack creativity so maybe I should start encouraging this side of her at home and leave the maths to the pros ;-) Thanks again.

There are really good books to support their maths, but always as a game and playtime not as a homework. MathsMadeEasyAges5-6KeyStage1BeginnerCarolVordermanMaths sticker workbooks Addition/ Substraction by Dorling Kindersley.
They don't cost more than £3 pounds.
Have them at home, and when they fancy they do it. Try www.mathsisfun.com

another poster, I think it was lynettescavo, posted a link to this book a few months ago

www.amazon.co.uk/Maths-Mums-Dads-Rob-Eastaway/dp/0224086359/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=126901957 4&sr=8-1

it explains the new way that maths is taught in primary schools

While most schools follow the national strategy not all do and even then they might have differing views on what should be taught and how.

If you really want to know, ask your school for a copy of their maths policy. It should all be set out there and then you can look at how you can get to grips with the differing methods.

If she is at Level 2a in Y1 for her numeracy then she is at a level slightly ahead of what is expected of her at the end of Year 2 anyway so I don't think you need to worry about her in that respect at all. She is obviously not struggling with it.

soapboxqueen gives very good advice!

Talk to the teacher about the maths methods they are using at school. Schools often have a policy regarding teaching of skills in the four operations, and it is really annoying if parents get children to use different methods at home.

Teachers have to pick up the pieces of any confusion that may be caused!

Awwww. Thank you Easter Bunny

suggest to the school to hold "numeracy " evenings to explain their teaching methods. Our school does this on a range of subjects so parents can understand better.

They are also tailored to the age range eg reception parents are invited to a phonics evening to learn how to correctly pronounce them

Wow... 2.5 years ahead in literacy in Y1. Does that mean she's a L3 in writing?

Hi thank you for your comments, it's not that I want to help her in terms of acheving more but to help her be more confident when doing it, if that makes sense. They didn't give me her level in literacy only her age levels she is currently running at 8yrs 6 months at reading, 8 Years 4months at writing, 7 years 10months at spelling. I am not sure what that means to be honest or what system they use to record this. I know she will level out at some point, and it is not her acheivements that I want to help more her confidence as she is a painfully shy little girl.