Numeracy

Helping at Home

Helping students at home with Mathematics can seem daunting. “Am I teaching them the right way?” is often a question parents ask themselves. The answer is: you probably are! And any interest you take with Mathematics at home can help show the importance and build engagement with students. But to help with this, here are four tips that can help guide you when assisting your child with Mathematics problems.

Understanding the question

Encourage your child to take the time to think about what is being asked of them. Ask them to explain to you what the problem means and how they would solve it, for example, “How would you work that out? Do you need to use addition, multiplication or division?” Talking the math problem through will assist them with their learning and comprehension.

Multiplication practice

Simple multiplication is an important part of maths, and practice is the key! Encourage your child to practise the times tables. Try turning multiplication practice into a fun game by asking your child the occasional multiplication question as they wait for dinner, in the car or walking the dog. For example, “What’s six times seven?”

Pause with the answers

When your child is struggling to answer a math equation, hold off giving them the answer. Instead, encourage them to solve it themselves by giving them tips such as, “We know six times five is 30, so seven times five would be 30 plus five”.

Keep expectations high with positive praise

Giving your child praise is important in building their maths confidence. Encourage your child by giving genuine and specific praise about their efforts and achievements. For example, “Well done! Seven times five is 35. I like the way you kept trying until you got it right, great job!”