How Can I Help My Son With Maths?
Primary teaching resources for Maths will bring to life what might be a dry subject. A reasonable handling of maths is a vital tool for girls and boys to learn, and the earlier they get a good understanding of it the better. Time was teachers would spend hours devising and creating resources with which to make maths an exciting visual experience. Today, however, there are numerous kinds of primary teaching resources on the market which engage with girls and boys on a strong visual level.
Children engage with pictures much more readily than they do with words and numbers; after all, their brains have been processing images as long as they have been able to see, while words and numbers are relatively new concepts. That’s why the best primary teaching resources have a strong visual element. Common pictures children can relate to are used to teach numeracy in a fun manner.
Currency is taught with cards showing mathematical sweets; each sweet signifies 1 unit, boxes of sweets stand for tens and jars of sweets represent hundreds. It’s much less dry than dealing with pence pounds. Most kids of primary school age will never have managed significant amounts of cash, however they could be only too familiar with counting out and eying up sweets. These sweet cards were the first, but now there are various Place Value card sets, using distinctive enjoyable metaphors to teach practical mathematical skills. Fractions are described through commonly divisible items including pizzas, pies, puddings and tarts. Several other sets permit the same subject areas to be taught but with slightly different emphasis, so that children can separate and identify the various steps involved in more challenging sums (e.g. facts to 10 can be taught in numerous ways with Digit Pop Ups, Busy Boats, Zillions, Wish Fish and Lady Bugs). The Monster Number Line goes even further, teaching numbers as high as 30, 50 or even 100 depending on the abilities and understanding of the child.
It can be difficult to get boys to engage with maths. X-Planes help explain (geddit?) early years maths concepts such as number lines and missing numbers, while Footie Facts ensure the attention of so many young boys.
One particularly popular primary teaching resource is the Multiplication Rainbow. The Multiplication Rainbow was designed to offer a visual aid to chidlren learning their times tables. Like all the products here mentioned, the design helps make learning that little bit less formal and intimidating, while the bright, regimented colours can act as a guide and reminder for children when trying to recall their times tables.
Playground Pictures mean the learning experience can continue een during back times. PVC wall pictures display important primary Maths information in a friendly and unobtrusie manner. Available pictures include bees, caterpillars and flowers. They sit well in gardens and playgrounds, and are easily fixed to walls or fences.
Above all, these items are meant to make learning fun. Principles that might seem simple to grown ups call for a good deal of memorisation on the part of a young child. Using fun, relatable concepts makes that job so much easier for them.
Sweet Counter is run by Chris Mayo, a former teacher who travels the country with her classroom and playground resources. She works with a dedicated team of assistants to produce new and innovative products that meet the teaching demands of primary school learners.