Math skills include many different areas such as counting, remembering basic math facts (2+5, 3 x 10), understanding words related to math (less than, greater than), telling time, calculating on paper or in your mind, working with money (coin values, making change), identifying symbols ( +, -, x, /) and using them correctly, and understanding how numbers are related to each other.
In school, we use multi-sensory structured instruction to help our students learn concepts and strategies. Base 10 blocks, Unifix cubes, or tiles are utilized to show patterns and operations. Methods and materials used at school can also be used at home.
- Use concrete examples to connect math to real life. This can strengthen your child’s number sense.
- Use visual aids when solving problems. Your child can draw pictures or use beads or cereal pieces to add, subtract, multiply, or divide.
- Use graph paper to help keep numbers lined up.
- Use an extra piece of paper as a ‘shield’ to cover all but one problem on a worksheet so your child can focus on one problem at a time.
- Play board games and card games to practice math skills in a fun way.
- Uno, Yahtzee, Money Bags, Top It