Here are my Top 7 maths concepts for young learners or struggling juniors in reverse order, where number 1 is my most important concept for maths understanding, and 7 the least important - although least is a misnomer, as it is also very important!
Discussion These are meant as a stimulus to discussion, as it can be a matter of opinion as to which are most important, and of course in which order to put them! One size doesn't suit all I spent a long time amending these, deleting and adding new ones. In reality, things are never as simple as this list makes it seem, as children differ greatly in ability and specific learning difficulties. I have encountered children who can do the points below from 7 up to 2, but bizarrely couldn't recognise number symbols; and also children who could do most things with a number line but couldn't add one more to a given number. These points do overlap, and I suspect there may be discussion upon the order, and even on areas I may have neglected - who is to say number work is most important? It may be spatial awareness should come first? I would be very interested to hear other teachers' views. TOP 7 CONCEPTS 7. Moving away from physical towards the abstract when adding and subtracting to 10 6. Grouping of objects in relation to multiplication and division. 5. Adding and subtracting numbers to 10, using objects, and relating it to written notation 4. Vocabulary of maths i.e. More than, less than, how many, add, take-away etc.. 3. Concepts of adding and subtracting objects from a given number of objects 2. Counting forwards, backwards in 1s. Knowing what comes before / after a chosen number. Being able to say which number is more or less than a given number. 1. Mental image of a number line. Reading, writing and ordering numbers to 20. Lots of number line and
counting work to help the child to associate numbers of objects with the
visual symbols. |
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