How to help with no diagnosis

[Somewhereovertheroad]

Ds2 is 9 and has a variety of issues which educational psychology has called "multiple needs". He is in local mainstream with support and is generally thriving except for his maths.

The class are doing times tables etc and he just doesn't get that or time. Other maths things like fractions he has no problem with.

I'm very frustrated because while he is thriving in all other issues he is increasingly frustrated with the maths.

Today I had a look at Essentials Skills Maths to see what level they go to if he isn't capable of GCSE and they don't need 24 hour clock or all the times tables for this. Obviously I would want him to be able to do this if he could but I think there is a real danger of him disengaging altogether.

It took my (autistic) ds years to get to grips with time and times tables, they were real stumbling blocks but he did finally get time and somehow gets by (he's Y10 now and top set maths!) without learning his tables.

At 9, I wouldn’t be worried yet about GCSE potential. There’s so much time for things to change. Your DS may just need another approach to learning these aspects of maths. Have a look at the available apps etc and see if anything clicks with him.

Springerlink yes he definitely needs another approach and this teachers determination to keep him up with the rest of the class is creating massive anxiety.

Students who do essential skills rather than GCSE 's don't do eg. 24 hour clock.

I'm not so much focused on GCSE but if some 16 year olds don't do 24 hour clock because they can't grasp it then why can this primary not grasp that DS can't do it at 9.

It may be he needs to hear the instructions clearly or simplified step by step and watch it being demonstrated.
It may be he needs to have written instructions to read step by step whilst someone demonstrates.

We all understand things which are presented in different ways, it may be that all he needs is very much simplified instructions and time to understand each step.

Look on youtube for videos for the things he's struggling with. They'll have loads with different approaches.

Filter them down for him so there are say only 2 videos of one subject every few days

ds is enjoying maths rockx. The tune is really helping them stick - though it's starting to annoy the heck out of him