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Helping Your Child Make The Right Start To Secondary Maths

By Arthur Moore

So the move has happened and suddenly your child is in Secondary school doing Maths lessons with a new teacher. It can all feel new, freshand exciting but it also feels a little bit intimating and scary.

Also you’ve got in a great routine over the past year or two with entrance exams/ 11+/SATs etc and you want to continue that momentum into Secondary school Maths.

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Well here are a five thing you can do to help your child make the right start to Secondary Maths:

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1. Focus on Language

Maths can seem to have its own language with new words that mean something different in the classroom than in the real world. This only increases as your child’s Maths becomes more advance. So when checking in with your child ask, “Did you learn a new Maths word today?” and then follow up with “and what does that mean in Maths?”. If you’re not sure what the word means then use Maths is Fun to search it: https://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/index.html

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2. Get involved but focus on building their independence

As parents we often like to get involved in our child’s homework. But something we forget the homework is for them. So help them by providing a quiet & focused place to study. Support them sticking to a schedule but encourage them to solve problems independently. Remember is action supporting them with their Maths.

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3. Little and often

A beautiful thing about Maths is much of it can be recapped in little 2-5 minutes bursts. Take little opportunities (a car ride, waiting for the toaster to pop) to do little recaps. For example if you child has just learnt their prime numbers get them quickly list them for you.

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4. Talk about Maths like it’s normal

As Maths gets more advance it can be hard to relate it to our normal lives. That’s fine but make sure you show your child that Maths has a part in your life. This helps keep it relevant but also allows opportunities for discussion/debate.

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5. Talk about Maths like it’s not normal

However Maths is abstract, and do you know what? That’s okay! Actually it’s brilliant and part of the beauty of Maths. Stay away from sentences like “how does that help you?” or “why do we need to know that?”. Sometimes it is going to be abstract and that great. Why not take it as an opportunity to research something together.

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These five tips are all about ways you can support your child in their mathematical development.

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Arthur Moore — Arthur is an award-winning Maths tutor and educational speaker.

Find out more about him at

https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-moore/

http://www.mooreedu.co.uk

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