How Can You Help?
Parents have an important part to play in the development of a positive attitude and appreciation towards mathematics. You can do this by using correct mathematical language, and by using number, estimation and mental strategies in everyday life with your children.
It is extremely important especially for young children to gain experience of play and exploration with sand, water and bricks/blocks.
It is important that parents also use the mathematical language that teachers are using in school. This is included in this notice.

The Maths Curriculum

The Curriculum Structure

Maths Language

The mathematics curriculum is presented under the following five strands:
· Number
· Algebra
· Shape and Space
· Measures
· Data
The strands are divided into strand units which give additional structure to the curriculum:
Number: Early mathematical activities (classifying, matching, comparing, ordering), counting, analysis of number, place value, operations, fractions, decimals, percentages.
Algebra: patterns, sequences, number sentences, directed numbers, rules and properties, variables, equations.
Shape and Space: spatial awareness, 2-D shapes, 3-D shapes, symmetry, lines, angles.
Measures: length, area, weight, capacity, time, money.
Data: interpreting and understanding visual representation, chance.

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It is important for children’s understanding and for continuity in the learning process that children are used to the same mathematical language. Therefore we would ask parents to use this language when helping their children with maths at home.
Addition:
* Left to right orientation always e.g. 5 + 6 (Say “Five plus six”)
* Always start at bottom and work up
8
+3
(Say “Three plus eight”)
Subtraction:
* Left to right orientation always e.g. 8 – 3 (Say “Eight take away three”)
* Always start at the top and take away
11
-6 (Say “Eleven take away six”)
Always re-group in the operation of subtraction
Multiplication
* Left to right orientation e.g. 6 x 3 (Say “Six times three”)
* Start at bottom and work up e.g.
7
x 4 (Say “Four times seven”)
Division
* Left to right orientation e.g. 45 ÷ 5 (Say “Forty five divided by five”)
* Start on the left e.g. 7) 450 (Say “Seven into four hundred and fifty”)
hundred and fifty”)
threAlways start at to and take away 11
-6 (“Eleven take away six”)

Tables
Tables are extremely important as they are the basis of all mathematical operations. It is important that we use the same language when children are learning the mathematical tables. We ask that parents use the following language:
Addition: “Plus”
Subtraction: “Take Away”
Division: “Divided By”
Multiplication: “Times”

Seomra
Ranga