NUMERACY

MENTAL COMPUTATION VS MENTAL ARITHMETIC

Things have changed a lot in mathematics over the last few decades, not least of which the saying "You won't have a calculator in your back pocket" has proven to be very untrue! 

The increase in technology and its easy accessibility has changed maths significantly. There are some things that have not changed, however, especially the need for all of us and our children to be able to understand and calculate basic numbers we encounter in everyday life. 

When most of us think back to maths in school, we remember rote learning our times tables or addition facts off by heart. This is called mental arithmetic, the recall of basic number facts automatically. 

Whilst there is still a place for this in maths today and students still need to know these facts, there is now an emphasis on mental computation and students developing "number sense" rather than just rote learning facts.  Each week in the newsletter, a different mental computation strategy that your students have been learning in class will be shared, as well as a game or challenge that you can play as a family. 

SUBITISING

What is Subitising? Subitising is the ability to instantly recognise the number of objects in a small group without the need to count them. For example, when a student rolls a dice they can instantly recognise the number of dots on the face of the dice.

GAMES TO PRACTISE SUBITISING

Dominoes are a great way for students to practise their subitising. As well as any games where a dice is used, such as Snakes and Ladders, Yahtzee, Monopoly.