Q&A - P1 Math

[jedamum]

worriedmumz:

I noticed in some of the P1 Math assessment books that they have started teaching

quite high level questions. My friends say it is simple heuristics. There is nothing simple about those questions. How to get our kids ready for that?

worriedmumz,
some of the questions in P1 math assessment books are ridiculously difficult. i almost killed my ds1's interest in math when we were doing these assessment books when he was in K2. after looking at the past year papers for P1, most questions tested are basic questions.
you may want to go to those online free papers website to print out 1 or 2 papers as a guide.
sometimes, some kids are not ready to tackle these heuristics questions. i wasted a lot of time and effort trying to get ds1 to learn model drawing in K2. his P1 teacher did it in a few lessons.

[Callie Tan]

laughingcat:

worriedmumz:

I noticed in some of the P1 Math assessment books that they have started teaching

quite high level questions. My friends say it is simple heuristics. There is nothing simple about those questions. How to get our kids ready for that?

IMO, get the child to develop literacy first. Today's maths is about testing the competency of language as well.

This is super duper true. My girl has to understand what the question is asking first then she knows how to go about solving... Heuristic questions might be more lengthy...

[RRMummy]

optimistforum:

Hi SAHM_TAN


I am struggling to get him to do somethinglike 2+ [] = 5. So I use fruit, marbles or toys. Just need to know what other parents do to teach subtraction.

HI,

Just to confirm, does he have any problem when the question is 5 - 2 = ?

If not then I think the confusion is because of the placement of the ? Then, what about introducing the Part-Part-Whole concept?

You know like the linked circles used to depict number bonds or even simple model.

Intro the concept that 2 is a part and so is the missing number. Then with 5 as the whole... this concept helps DD to handle bigger numbers up to 100..

[michyms]

optimist forum, the EPH book is it the one by Andrew Er? Frankly that book is fairly difficult - but its good as it shows me the standards out there.


My girl is in K2 and she was also having problems doing the sums you mentioned. So I am using models now to teach.

So in 4 + _ = 6

I will make her draw a model diagram. Not easy to describe using words, but let me try.

There are 2 small blocks sitting on top of 1 big block.

So the big block is 6, and one of the small blocks is 2. When she had that diagram, she could immediately tell me the other small block is 4. And I explained that the stand alone number beside the = sign is always the "whole" so should be written in the big block.

It is essentially using the whole-part concept some mummies mentioned above.

[michyms]

I really agree about the fact that we should lay the foundation for the language first. The maths concepts may be easy, but the way it is asked makes it baffling for P1 kids.


For example, my girl gets confused by questions such as is - What 2 numbers before 4? It may seem so simple, and I was shocked that she didn’t know. So I started by revising the concept of before and after. And then teaching her how to count the 2 numbers.

I cut out flash cards of the numbers and played a game, and get her to "test" me and I will purposely answer wrongly. So if she can correctly phrase the test questions and then correct my wrong answer, at least I know she truly understands the concept.

I figured that with 3 months to go before P1, I need to drill in the basics of the language understanding, rather than push her to do difficult questions which she may not have the foundation for.

[r_tiff2326]

Based on your inputs… i think i have stressed my lil one too much… oops…


she is doing those lengthy problems sums… and she sometimes get it right and sometimes wrong…

her only issue is she is very very careless… she can do the sums properly and in order… but the final answer she can write the wrong digit faints instead of 32 she can write 23… haiz…

I also agree that good understanding of the english language is very important.

btw… anyone started on multiplication??

[michyms]

r tiff, I also tried to push my girl to do problem sums, but like yours, its a hit and miss affair. My conclusion is that she doesn’t understand it all the time, so she’s guessing whether she is supposed to be using addition or subtraction.


So now I figured I better get her foundation and understanding straightened out now, then when she is faced with the problem sums next year, it will be a breeze.

I do plan to intro some multiplication to her before P1. And definitely get her to memorise some timestables.

[nms1]

michyms:

r tiff, I also tried to push my girl to do problem sums, but like yours, its a hit and miss affair. My conclusion is that she doesn't understand it all the time, so she's guessing whether she is supposed to be using addition or subtraction.


So now I figured I better get her foundation and understanding straightened out now, then when she is faced with the problem sums next year, it will be a breeze.

I do plan to intro some multiplication to her before P1. And definitely get her to memorise some timestables.

I don't think you need to introduce multiplication so early - my daughter only started it after the September holidays and more in terms of the concept (e.g. three groups of three = 9, 5 groups of 2 = 10) than learning timetables.

I feel it's more important to make them comfortable with numbers in general and maybe basic addition & subtraction. They take it very slowly for P1 maths.

[michyms]

Nsm1, thanks for the advice. Do they go slowly in primary one? Or is the speed very fast?

[optimistforum]

Dear SAHM, laughingcat, RRMummy and michyms


Thanks for the advice. I am having withdrawal symptoms today as I have not been on Kiasu; I am at a conference.

DS2 can do questions like 5-2 = 3, etc...

As michyms said, i may need to teach him that 2 + [] = 5, and that 2 is a part of 5. I have tried to drill him by stating \"use takeaway\", when looking for more, less or difference. It is early days but looks like working. Tried number bonds too. I think the michyms part concept may work.

I will let you know in 24 hrs when I get back home (which will be Singapore midnight, so 2 days will suffice.........lol).

PS, michyms, the boo I mentioned is Primary 1 Step-by-Step Maths (New Syllabus). It is a great reference and question book. https://www.popular.com.sg/jsp/product/product_detail.jsp?vpd001=67955&vsc=false