BellaOnline Forums Education Math 1st Grade Math

My son is getting ready to finish 1st grade. He has done poorly all year in the subject of math. He knows how to count, can count by 2, 5, 10's, he somehow grasped the meaning of basic fractions but he is having problems understanding the notches of a ruler and adding and subtracting. I think he is struggling some because he is a visual learner. If you put 5 pennies in front of him and add 4 he can look at the pennies and know there is 9. he doesn't count them cjust looks and knows it is 9. Now if you write the numbers 5 + 4 and ask him what it is it takes him a minute or he says he doesn't know.

His teacher is going to go ahead and pass him to the 2nd grade because he has andvaced reading skills ( he is reading a level of a where a second grader going into third grade should be at) She did give me a workbook to use with him over the summer. Does anyone have any suggestions to help him "get" math? Anything would be appreciated!

Number lines helped my DS with both basic math and the ruler issue.

Draw a simple number line, with arrows at both ends, and label each tic on the line from 0 - 20. In bold color at the top, draw an arrow pointing to the right and label it "addition" (or plus or however your son refers to the function). In another color at the bottom, draw an arrow pointing to the left and label it "subtraction" (minus, etc.). Give him simple problems and demonstrate how the line works: 2 + 5. Start with your pencil at the number two, count over five to the right, and that gives you your answer.

Once he gets the hang of this, you can switch to the ruler and do the same thing (after all, a ruler is just another number line).

Also, find some worksheets that allow him to draw pictorial representations of the problem next to the numbers. Voyager Math for first and second is a good resource. Many of the worksheets (if you like worksheets) have boxes above, below or next to the problems so that the student can doodle a picture of the "number sentence."

For example: 4 + 5 = __________

Draw a picture representing the number sentence above:

* * * * + * * * * * = * * * * * * * * *

Now write the number sentence:

4 + 5 = 9

Eventually, they get the association.

Good luck!

Even the brightest kids often bristle at rote memorization of math facts. I think it is very astute of you to recognize your son's learning style. Maybe you can take Lynn's number line and write it on the kitchen tiles or sidewalk? I have also heard of kids using stairs to learn addition and subtraction, though personally, I've had too many scary stair tumbles to feel comfortable encouraging the kids to jump up and down on them.

Lorel