“Parents are a child’s first and most enduring educators, and their influence cannot be overestimated.”

Review of Mathematics teaching in Early Years Settings and Primary Schools, Sir Peter Williams 2008

Learning in Numeracy takes place all around us, not just in the classroom! A child or young person’s everyday routine offers many opportunities and experiences to practise and apply their Numeracy skills in real and meaningful ways. Here are just some ideas how parents and families can help support and develop Numeracy skills:

• Cooking or baking: How will we measure how much? Can you read the numbers? Can you help me count the spoons? How many cupcake cases will we need? How long will it take to cook? What time will it be ready? What it we double or halve the recipe? How many will we make? How many cakes will we get each in our family? How many chocolate buttons will we need if we put three on each cake?
• Shopping: How many will we need? How much? Will we have enough from this amount? What shape is this? Which is more or less? Which is bigger? How do we work out 20% off? What will it cost if we buy ten? Which is better value?
• Watching or playing sports: What’s the score now? What if they get two more goals? How much is the black worth? What is treble twenty? How much better have they done than last week? What do these statistics mean? How long is the game? What time will it be at half-time?
• Recycling: How will we sort these? How many? What shape is this? Which is the longest? Can you find me a cylinder?
• Walking or driving to school: How long does it take? How many steps? How many number fours can you spot on the way? What number patterns can we spot? Are these numbers odd or even? What shapes can you spot? What directions are we taking? What would be the time difference if we walked or cycled?

EA Numeracy and Maths support for parents

Please click on the link below to access Family Learning Activities designed to  provide information and links to help parents, families and children enjoy maths activities together.

Family Learning Activities – East Ayrshire Numeracy and Mathematics (glowscotland.org.uk)

The series of videos found on the link below have been created to share some of the approaches to teaching and learning in numeracy, calculation strategies and terminology currently being developed across schools in East Ayrshire.

Numeracy Strategies for Parents/Carers – East Ayrshire Numeracy and Mathematics (glowscotland.org.uk)

Early Level

• Look out for all numbers you see around the house.
• Count how many steps there are from the gate to the front door or around the garden and talk about the differences in the size of your steps.
• As you tidy up, encourage your child to arrange toys and books in order of size.
• Count how many things are in the fridge or the cupboard.
• Count how many star jumps or hops you and others in your household can do.
• Investigate different coins and talk about their value.
• Play board games which need the use of dice e.g. ludo or snakes and ladders.
• Point out the time on the clock, particularly at breakfast, dinner or bedtime.

First and Second Level

• Estimate and take their own, your and other family members measurements – height, weight, shoe size.
• Play games which involve calculating scores e.g board games or online games.
• Calculate the cost of a home delivery or take away.
• Explain how to work out the value of the graduations on the scales on measuring equipment.
• When baking, encourage your child to explain how they would work out quantities to make the recipe for more or less people. e.g for making 18 cupcakes from a recipe for 6.
• Allow your child to be in charge of setting the timer while you cook together, this will develop skills in estimating time and provide opportunities for calculating time durations.

Useful links to websites

https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/Documents/IAmAMathematician270417.pdf

http://www.readwritecount.scot/count/

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/learningathome/supportingnumeracy/index.asp

http://nrich.maths.org/frontpage

https://whiterosemaths.com/

https://www.cdmasterworks.co.uk/the-daily-rigour/

http://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/

http://nzmaths.co.nz/maths-our-house

http://www.nnparenttoolkit.org.uk/supporting-all-parents

http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/maths-owl/maths

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/primary_support/

This video from NZ maths may also be useful in showing ways we can develop and extend Numeracy skills through everyday experiences:

http://nzmaths.co.nz/introductory-video

Number Talks

Number talks are short discussions among a teacher and students about how to solve a particular mental maths problem. The focus is not on the correct answer, but on all the possible methods of finding the answer. The strategies covered can be found in the below PowerPoint, click on the link to see more.

Number Talks Strategies PowerPoint

Useful apps for use with iPads

iPad Apps Final (2)

Numeracy and Mathematics glossary

You may find your child coming home using new mathematical vocabulary. Unsure of what they mean by ‘partitioning’ or ‘common denominator’? Follow this link for Education Scotland’s newly published numeracy and mathematics glossary on their Parentzone page.