Progression through Calculations: Parent Workshop

1. Do I need jottings ? Shall I use a pencil and paper method? Can I do it in my head? Goodrich Primary SchoolParents’ workshop on:Progression through Calculations Do I need to use a calculator?

5. Maths people • What type of Mathematics person are you? • Effortless • Hard worker • Struggler • Terrified

6. Aims • To discuss the new curriculum for Maths and how it changes the way your child is taught • To discuss progression of skills for calculation from Reception to Year 6 • To share ideas about how parents can support their children’s learning in maths. • To have an opportunity to share with parents examples of activities and equipment that may be used in school.

7. Aims of the new Maths curriculum The national curriculum for mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils: • become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics which includes having a good understanding of numbers in relation to each other, making connections between numbers and being able to manipulate numbers mentally. • reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, identify relationships and generalisations and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language. • can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

8. Changes in the new Maths curriculum • The new curriculum has raised expectations for all year groups. • All children are expected to achieve the objectives for their year group. • Children can not exceed their year group expectations. When the objectives are achieved the focus is on breadth and depth of learning – applying the skill to problem solving in a range of context.

9. Calculations policy • What is it and why do we have one? • This ensures that there is a consistent approach across the school and from parents on how we teach our children to complete calculations. • All staff work from the same policy to ensure that regardless of class, your child will be moving onto the stage that is right for them and will receive the same teaching methods from all teachers and staff.

10. Times tables • Times tables • Across the school we expect the majority of pupils to achieve the following standards – • YR – Begin to count in steps – 1’s, 2’s and 10’s • Y1 – Be able to count in steps of 1, 2, 5 and 10 confidently to the 10th term • Y2 –To know their 2, 5, and 10 times tables (as times tables not as counting) • Y3 – To know their 3, 4, and 8 times tables (consolidate previous as well) • Y4 – Consolidation and move onto the 6, 7, 9, 11 and 12 times tables • Y5/6 – Consolidation and application • By ensuring this we are preparing the children to work with longer calculations and use written methods competently.

11. The four stages • Mental • Informal • Expanded • Efficient • Note that mental and informal methods will continue all the way through primary maths.

12. Skills of mental calculation Mental methods will be established throughout primary school. These will be based on a solid understanding of place value in number and will include the following; • Remembering number facts and recalling them without hesitation (pairs, doubles, halves) • Using known facts to calculate unknown facts (6 + 6 = 12 so 6 + 7 = 13) • Understanding and using the relationship between addition and subtraction to find answers and check results • A solid repertoire of mental strategies to solve calculation (bridging, near doubles etc) • Making use of informal jottings such as blank number lines to assist in larger calculations • Solving one-step word problems by identifying which operation to use and explain their reasoning • Begin to present calculations is a horizontal format and explain the mental steps taken • Learn to estimate and approximate

14. Laying the foundations for addition and subtraction • Addition and subtraction are taught together. Children learn that addition is commutative and subtraction is not. • Children learn to understand the principle of exchange (which is central to our number system) – 10 ones become one 10. • Addition and subtraction teaching make the inverse relationship explicit. • Children will learn the column method (efficient) for both addition and subtraction.

15. Addition and subtraction • Mental • Informal 5 = 3 + 2 3 + 2 = 5 3 + 2 = 5

16. Addition and subtraction Expanded Efficient

17. Laying the foundations for multiplication and division • Multiplication and division are taught together. Children learn that multiplication is commutative and division is not • Children will ‘hook’ their mathematical thinking onto real life examples • Repeated addition and subtraction will be used to aid calculations • Explicit links will be made between division and fractions • Multiplication and division teaching make the inverse relationship explicit • Children will be encouraged to see patterns and the related nature of the times tables • Children learn to understand the principle of exchange (which is central to our number system) – 10 ones become one 10 • Children will explore remainders and will learn the efficient written methods for both multiplication and division

18. Multiplication and division • Mental • Informal 12 shared into 3 equal groups 12 shared equally into groups of 4

19. Multiplication and division Expanded Efficient

20. Language • Addition – increase, together, sum, more, plus, add, total, and • Subtraction – difference between, subtract, fewer, decrease, minus, take from reduce, take away • Multiplication – multiplied by, multiply, times table, times, product, groups of, lots of • Division – divided by, share, divide, share equally, divisible by, divide into, group, fractions

21. How can parents help? • Count with their child • Play number games • Involve children in shopping activities • Involve children when taking measurements or weighing items • Take note of numbers in real life e.g. telephone numbers, bus numbers, lottery numbers etc • Give children opportunities to use money to shop, check change etc • Talking about the mathematics in football e.g. How many points does your favourite team need to catch the next team in the division? • When helping their children calculate, use the method that they have been taught • Teach children to tell the time on an analogue and digital clock. Look at timetables and work out how long a journey takes. The way time is taught has not changed so you can teach them the way you were.

22. How can parents help?Please don’ts • Many of us use maths ‘tricks’ and teach them to our children. Please do not teach your child the following ‘tricks’; • Just add a zero • Move the decimal point

23. Mental gymnastics • Think of a number and keep doubling it. How far can you go? • Face the person next to you and alternate! • In two’s – one person recites all the numbers from 1 to 100 • The other person raises their hand at any number that can be divided by 3 or … • Divided by 4 or … • Divided by 3 and 4 or … • Divided by 5 You can use a number square to help you!

24. Useful websites • www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/maths/ Really good resources and games for all areas of numeracy that you would expect from the BBC. Also includes other Primary subjects. • www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/timestable/interactive.htm An excellent school website offering links to games to help children with speed of recall for times tables. • www.topicbox.co.uk/browse.php?subject=Maths A huge site that is easy to navigate around. All topics of numeracy are well organised so you can easily find what you’re looking for. Also includes other Primary subjects. • www.learningclip.co.uk You will need to register for free but contains lots of activities and printable worksheets that consolidate classroom work. • www.ictgames.com/resources.html Scroll down to themes and locate the easy to navigate numeracy areas. Each game has a clear learning objective and suggested year group. Excellent games! • www.counton.org Huge amount of games and puzzles. Also click on the ‘links’ tab to find lots of links to other maths sites. • www.mathplayground.com/games.html An enjoyable American site that has lots of numeracy games.

25. Key Messages To develop written calculation strategies, children need: • Secure mental strategies from YR. • A solid understanding of the number system. • Practical, hands on experience including counters and base 10 apparatus. • Visual images including number lines and arrays. • Experience of expanded methods to develop understanding and avoid rote learning. • Secure understanding of each stage before moving onto the next. • They should have these questions at the forefront of their minds: ‘Can I do it in my head? If not which method will help me?’

26. Last thought… This generation of children will experience a much wider understanding of the subject than previous ones. They are being educated for the 21st century using a whole new range of technology backed up by the results of educational research. Don’t expect them to be able to do the kind of calculations you were subjected to at the same age. Their learning is focused on understanding and not number crunching.

27. Thank you Thank you for attending • Please stay and explore the resources and activities set up around the room. • Ask questions • Help yourself to handouts with ideas on how to support your child. • Give us your feedback.