Improving Numeracy in the Classroom
Posted by EYR Team on 9th Sep 2019
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Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater.
Albert Einstein
Maths is a tricky thing; a lot of children (and people!) either take to it or don’t. One thing for certain is that if a strong foundation of basic skills is provided at EYFS, KS1 and KS2, children are more likely to grasp more complex concepts in secondary school. Improving numeracy in the classroom is consequently critical.
EYFS, KS1 and KS2 curriculums are quite varied. There are a lot of areas to cover, which means children have a limited time to grasp one concept before having to move on to the next. Obviously this is a tough task for any teacher to manage and can often result in some children lagging behind others. Finding ways to engage and encourage children to develop their numeracy skills is imperative. Practice makes perfect!
How can Numeracy be improved?
Finding ways to keep children invested in learning maths can be a challenge. Below, we’ve outlined a few ideas for some engaging maths activities:
1. Get Creative
What is the most important element of maths? Numbers! Most EYFS, KS1 and KS2 curriculum activities will revolve around numbers, so why not get children to create their own ‘kit’ for them to use and rely on?
Combine art and craft with numeracy by cutting out numbers and symbols. Encourage children to draw, decorate, include examples, and generally make them their own so that their ‘kit’ is personal to them. Take a look at Art and Craft supplies for your 'Number Kits'.
2. Venture Outside
Sometimes a change of scenery can go a long way! Maths doesn’t have to be limited to the classroom, activities that take place outdoors can be a great learning tool for teaching and reinforcing certain concepts. For example, take a class outside and split into groups to practice doubling and halving, adding and subtracting and even number patterns.
For more inspiration for taking maths outside, take a look at our dedicated outdoor maths range.
3. Introduce Games
The best way to encourage children to learn maths is to make the process fun! Introducing a few maths-based games to the classroom will make practicing concepts much more enticing to children.
- Fill in the blank: Split the children into teams, each with their own buzzer sound. Write out a sum, number sequence or even spelling with missing parts and let the teams fill in the blanks! Remember, only teams who buzz can answer…
- Spell it out: This isn't team game - it's each to their own! It's simple; speak aloud a sum. All the children have to do is ‘spell out’ the sum. As soon as they’re done they put their hands in the air!
You can find more inspiration from our maths puzzles and games resources and our tabletop maths games.
4. Engaging Resources
Having the right resources can result in the significant improvement of maths skills. Whichever area of the curriculum you are focusing on, having the right resources to support learning can be crucial. Here are just some essential categories of resources for teaching maths:
- Pattern and Sequence
- Money
- Time
- Multiplication
- Adding and Subtracting
- Shapes, Space and Symmetry
- Measuring
- Counting
- Number Lines
Looking for more inspiration for numeracy activities in the early years? Read our blog which covers 10 engaging EYFS numeracy activities.
