1. Numeracy and Maths at the Early Stage
Parent Meeting

2. Overview
Looking at the mathematical skills and concepts the children are developing at this stage.
Looking at the learning activities and experiences that develop understanding and skills.
Looking at how parents can support learning in numeracy and maths.

3. Counting Learning the sequence of number words
Counting skills – using the sequence of number words to do this
Learning the order of numbers
One-to-one correspondence – matching the number words to the items to be counted – touch and count each item only once
Learning that the last number in a count tells us how many there are
Learning the language of quantities – lots, more, less, fewer, about the same number

4. How to Support Counting Skills
Nursery rhymes and stories
Number songs
Going up and down the stairs
Setting the table
Shopping
Buttons, bricks, toys, anything
Say one number for each thing
Count things in pictures
Count sounds and physical movements
Count out a given quantity

5. Learning About Numbers
Look for numbers – at home, houses, buses, cars, telephone, in shops
Learn the order of numbers – forwards and backwards, what number comes next
Match a written number to a number of objects
Make marks to show a number – e.g. the score in a game

6. Measurement e.g. length, weight, capacity
Being able to measure is a life skill, used in many contexts throughout life
As they progress through school, children will learn about measures, units of measure and measuring tools.
They will use numbers to estimate, make measurements and solve problems.
At the early stage the children are learning to use the language of measure.

7. Key Concepts for Measure
Use descriptive language
(big, little, short, thin, wide, tall, heavy, light)
Using comparative language
(longer, shorter, heavier, more full, thicker)
Making ordered arrangements
(longest, shortest, tallest, widest, heaviest)

8. Time
Understand the concept of time passing – now, the past, the future – and recalling events in order
Talk about familiar times such as bedtime, breakfast, dinner time
Talk about what comes first, next and last
Talk about yesterday, today and tomorrow
Talk about special clock and calendar times

9. Shape Using language to describe and classify shapes
Play with wooden or plastic shapes
‘Junk’ modelling
Use words like round, straight, flat, pointed, corners
Shape matching games
Posting boxes
Learn the names of shapes
Look for shapes at home, on buildings, all around

10. Maths Through Stories COLOUR – What colour is the bear? The chair?
SORTING – Which bear has the big chair?
ORDERING – big/middle sized/small
COMPARISONS – porridge hot/cold, chairs high/low, beds hard/soft
PREDICTING – What do you think baby bear will say about his chair?
COUNTING – How many bears? Beds? Bowls?
SHARING – Mother bear shares out the porridge
MATCHING – Bears to bowls, bowls to table