Maths help for parents of children aged 5 to 11

Sparklebox large numbers at mathsblog.co.uk

Sparklebox have kindly allowed me to add some of their resources to the site, the first of which is a nice set of large number outlines (A4 size). Each number shows the starting point for writing.

These numbers can be used in a variety of ways, including using a finger and tracing over the number. Also using a number of different coloured pencils or crayons to draw inside the number, creating a colourful rainbow effect.

It is important that children learn to write their numbers correctly, although when you look at how adults do it you will see an amazing number of variations!

Sparklebox: large numbers for tracing

Vocabulary list from mathsblog.co.uk

We have extensively covered the maths vocabulary that children in reception are expected to come across. The following lists are the new words that they should come across in school during year 1 to do with numbers and the number system.
If a child does not respond to a mathematical question it may be because they do not understand the words or instructions used. Another difficulty can arise when a mathematical term has a different meaning in everyday English eg ‘table’.
Words to do with number:
Units
ones     tens     exchange    digit     teens number
equal to     roughly     half-way between
eleventh     twelfth     thirteenth     fourteenth
fifteenth     sixteenth     seventeenth
eighteenth     nineteenth     twentieth
(all these are frequently used when stating the date; eg it is the thirteenth of February.)
The attached pdf has all these words written twice: once so that they can be traced over and again larger so that they can be cut out or used as ‘flash cards’ etc.

Maths vocabulary year 1 (number system)

News from mathsblog.co.uk

We still pack them into our classrooms. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has just published some stats about education A couple of interesting ones as far as Primary Education goes are:
Our Primary Schools have larger class sizes than almost all other developed country. An average primary class has 24.5 pupils, although I suspect that many parents have children in classes of over 30. OECD countries have 21.5 pupils on average.
The study also found that the UK put more money into pre-primary schooling than almost any other OECD country.
It goes on to say that there is quite a gap between the UK and the most successful education systems, such as the Netherlands and Japan.
Perhaps we are spending money when our children are too young – should they even be in school at 5?

As the summer is about to begin I will be having a few days off blogging and will return for the new school term with loads more free worksheets, info etc.

Here is a nice little page from the forthcoming URBrainy website (not yet online). It looks at a key phrase which young children need to understand, “How many are left?”

It also relates the term “How many are left?” to the subtraction sum and the subtraction sign.

Children find subtraction far harder than addition and many are not familiar with phrases such as these and don’t know what they mean.

Free reception maths worksheet: how many more?

Had a good day at the Bett. For those who don’t know this is an educational ehibition for schools held at Olympia every January which shows the latest software etc on the market, ranging from the mega companies like Adobe, Apple and Microsoft to the one-man business selling a home grown piece of software. You don’t have to be a teacher to go and it doesn’t cost anything. I would recommend it if you want to know what’s going on in the world of education (plus plenty of free pens!!) and you happen to be in London.

I’ve found one or two quite exciting sites which I hope to review in detail over the next few weeks.

I’m off to the Bett Exhibition tomorrow to find the very latest and best maths resources. Look forward to seeing anyone who is also visiting - please say hello!

Whilst browsing my stats I can see that a lot of you are missing the links at the top of the page which go to the games and worksheets. The maths worksheets, in particular, are organised in a much better way from these links (by year and topic) than by going down the right hand side where they are organised chronologically.

Hope this is of help.