Multiplication for Children - By Key Stage Two.com
Fractions are a huge, varied and tricky concept to think about, teach and learn. It is known, children have always found fractions more difficult, although there are a core of children who grasp it quickly, these are the exception rather than the rule.
It is clear that a hands-on, physical approach is needed at the beginning of fractions work - indeed practical maths was a key talking point of all the teachers throughout the Primary phase. But also, language can be a huge barrier to children’s learning. The dialect of fractions can be misused throughout life and if they don’t have a solid understanding in the first place, it will only serve to confuse the issue further. Another problematic aspect is the link with division - children who don’t know their multiplication and division facts can’t begin to develop their ideas of fractions.
Children have to encounter teachers who are confident in approaching fractions and the subject needs to be taught consistently, removing areas of conflict and making sure that each part of their learning isn’t conflicting with another area. If it is to be taught alone or on-line, then it needs to be done until that child grasps that particular stage of learning.
One key to learning is children’s difficulty with fraction language. Maybe teachers are trying to make too many jumps at the same time, moving too quickly. Maybe this is down to pressures from the curriculum. It is often better to avoid comparisons. For instance, when focussing on halves, it would be better to focus on and describe objects or models that are either halves or not halves, rather than giving objects other labels (much in the same way that children find it easier to learn that bricks are heavy and feathers are not heavy rather than comparing them as heavy and light. Floating and sinking is another example, it is easier to get children to understand things that float and things that don’t float BEFORE investigating things that sink - it’s too confusing).
KeyStageTwo.com is currently working with over 35 schools across the UK, and is in talks with various government agencies to have the system installed on a national level within the UK.
Key Stage Two is an affordable education system which integrates education with entertainment by linking education with fun online games which test the child while they learn. We have recorded great results with children spending on average 40 minutes per evening on the system, doing homework and usually additional tests, hence improving the acuity and performance of even the most hard to reach pupil.
The system has identified the following benefits to schools:
-Overall School Cost Reduction due to less homework needing printed it saves money
-Very low price means it is affordable for all schools as well as home tutors
-Teacher Time Reduction due to the reduced amount of marking
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-Full Customer Support team in place meaning any queries are dealt with.
-There is a marked Improvement in Children’s performance particularly those who are hard to engage through traditional methods
-Tracking of Child Performance provided by the system enables constructive lesson support, identifying particular areas of weakness in particular pupils as well as the class as a whole.
Why not lobby a school near you to get involved? Or as a parent/tutor avail of the system for only ten pounds per month. Contact us direct on 028 91 464851 or Click the link below for more information.
http://www.KeyStageTwo.com