Early Number Maths Workshop Aims of the workshop: Explain early number concepts. Share ideas and activities that you can do at home.

Attitudes towards maths The most effective support that you as parents can give is to be enthusiastic and excited by maths. Did you feel that maths was a challenge? What impact do you think this may have on your child?

Making Connections Practical: Maths through play Language: Ask questions & use a range of mathematical vocabulary. Using Text/ Images: Encourage your child to use their fingers, draw pictures, use a number line/ 100 square to work out problems. Use symbols + - =

Lack of language & understanding in maths can be a serious factor in low attainers. Common vocabulary issues in maths: more/less, most/least, few/fewer, greater/greatest, next, after, before, between How many more/ less..?

To begin with children... Learn to say number names in order. Count how many objects there actually are. Need to know that the last number they count tells us how many there are. Learn they have the same amount of objects whether they are in a straight line or grouped together. Learn to say number names in order. Count how many objects there actually are – more skill needed for this. Need to know that the last number they count tells us how many there are. (cardinality) Learn they have the same amount of objects whether they are in a straight line or grouped together. (number conservation)

Counting in the Early Years We need to teach children how to count objects accurately. Point to or move objects

Children need to count objects in different positions, not just in a straight line.

Can you count the letters in your name?

How many times can you bounce the ball? Hop on one leg?

Can you match the 3 knives with the 3 forks?

How many objects are hiding in the box? .

How many bricks have you used in your tower?

Dropping pennies in a tin and counting the sounds

How many steps to get to the front door?

Can you put a candle on each cake?

How many wheels on your car?

What is 3? Nominal Cardinal Ordinal Measurement Numbers that name. Numbers that tell us how many. e.g. 6 eggs in a box Ordinal Numbers to tell us positions. e.g. 1st, 2nd, 3rd Measurement Numbers that tell us age, price, weight. What is 3? What do you think of when you think of 3? Jot down ideas. Sort ideas into nominal, cardinal etc Cardinality is being able to say that the final number you’ve counted, is the number of objects. Children need practise to do this, not all have cardinality.

Recognising Numbers Look at children’s age, birthday cards, brothers and sisters ages.

Find numbers on pages in books.

Number hunts indoors and outdoors.

Play Number bingo.

Look at numbers on clock faces

Play snakes and ladders

Dice patterns Finger patterns Subitising Children need to practise dice patterns and finger patterns. One of the first assessments I do. Subitising irregular patterns. Show dot cards.

Numbers on telephones and tills.

Recognising Numbers Spot numbers all around on the walk to school. Numbers at the supermarket. Focus on ‘0’ and what it means- blast off rockets.

Writing numbers In paint, water, glitter, with chalk, play dough, different pens, materials

Tricky Numbers Teen numbers - particularly 12, 13, 15 Ty numbers - 20 is often misread as 12 or ‘twenteen’ Numbers with 1 unit - get mixed up with teen numbers Teen numbers – often reversed when reading or writing. Children write them as they sound ie four…teen 41 Teen and ty numbers get confused, both when being said and written. Ty numbers often written back to front eg 02 When young children count make sure they emphasise the ‘teen’ and ‘ty’ parts of the numbers. Listen carefully to how they are saying the numbers. ‘Queen teen’ and ‘Cup of tea’

Counting Counting is a child’s first experience of number and maths. Learning to count can support understanding of the number system. It’s one tool for building up calculation strategies. Counting backwards is no more difficult than counting forwards. Our maths lessons all begin with counting.

Alphabetland The new number names are: A, B, C, D,.. You must not translate these number names into banned number names one, two, three, Count with me… Can you count from L to T? Can you count back from G? Can you count back from P? Can you count in Bs?

Alphabetland Say the letter that comes after… B H O Say the letter that comes before… K S

Alphabetland How many fingers on one hand? (thumbs count) How many fingers do you have altogether? C + D B + E K - B E + E G - D E + F C+D =G B+E=G K-B=I E+E=J G-D=B E+F=K

Breaking the Chain Children can often say the number sequence from beginning to end, but ‘breaking the chain’ is more difficult.

Common errors 10, 20, 30……70, 80, 90, 20 20, 90, 80….(rather than 20, 19, 18..) 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 20…

Number facts Learning key number facts will help your child progress in maths. It means they don’t have to count everything! These known facts can then be used to find other, more difficult, facts.

First number facts Number bonds to 10 e.g. 6+4=10 Number bonds to 20

What else do you know? If 6 + 4 = 10 then we know….. 4 + 6 = 10 10 – 6 = 4 10 – 4 = 6 40 + 60 = 100 100 – 40 = 60 400 + 600 = 1000

7 + 3 = 10

First number facts Doubles of numbers up to 10 e.g. 4+4=8 Halves of even numbers up to 20 e.g. half of 8 is 4 8÷2=4

How do we learn? Visual Aural Kinaesthetic Written Pattern Visual – domino patterns, doubles on ladybirds or butterflies Aural – practise saying them; make up a rap rhyme 6 and 4 knock at the door, 5 add 5, high 5, 7 add 3, climb a tree Kinaesthetic – hand clapping whilst saying pairs of numbers; throw and catch a ball, one person says 3 the other says 7 Written – writing number bonds out Pattern – writing them systematically Relate to real life too.

What can you do to help your child with their maths? Count regularly – in different steps, count objects, by rote, groups objects, forwards and backwards, break the chain Play lots of games with your child Cooking Go to the shops and count out the fruit, pay for small amounts etc. Spot numbers out and about

Useful websites www.ictgames.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime www.mathszone.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1