Build your child’s numeracy skills

What is mathematical literacy?

The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (OECD, 1999) defines mathematical literacy as:

an individual’s capacity to identify and understand the role that mathematics plays in the world, to make well-founded mathematical judgments and to engage in mathematics, in ways that meet the needs of that individual’s current and future life as a constructive, concerned and reflective citizen.

Mathematical literacy encompasses the ability to:

• estimate in numerical or geometric situations
• know and understand mathematical concepts and procedures
• question, reason and solve problems
• make connections within mathematics, and between mathematics and life
• generate, interpret and compare data
• communicate mathematical reasoning

Mathematical literacy also includes understanding the value of mathematics and having the inclination and the confidence to use it.

How do you help your child to be mathematically literate?

Everyone can learn maths. First and foremost, believe in your child’s ability to learn mathematics.

Everyone can improve when provided with good teaching, coaching, encouragement and

practice.

• Do have high expectations for your child. Research shows that when you believe your child can learn, he will rise to the expectation.
• Do talk with your child’s teacher about how you can help and support her mathematical development.
• Do talk about mathematics in a positive way. Your positive attitude and valuing of mathematics are infectious.
• Do share your day-to-day math experiences with your child, and discuss:
  • Video and computer games
  • Television shows
  • Books
• Do encourage personal responsibility for learning. Emphasize that effort is as important as ability.
• Do talk with your child about the importance of homework. Encourage a regular time and place for completing homework. Even when homework has not been assigned, encourage daily review and practise of mathematics. Encourage your child to check the answers and ask for help when he is having difficulty.
• Do support your child through homework by listening and asking questions:
  • Allow your child to struggle through the process of problem-solving.
  • Discuss mistakes as learning opportunities.
  • Help your child by asking questions:
    • What do you need to find out?
    • Tell me what you know…
    • Show me what you started…
    • What can you try first?
    • Can you make a drawing or picture?
    • Will a list or table help?
• Do encourage persistence. Some problems take time to solve. Taking a break often provides fresh enthusiasm and alternative strategies.
• Do build on your child’s strengths and what she already knows. Make links between maths and daily life.
• Do explore your child’s thinking process:
  • Why did you…?
  • What can you do next?
  • Do you see any patterns?
  • Does the answer make sense?
  • Tell me in a different way.
  • What would happen if…?
• Do appreciate the value of not knowing and use these occasions as opportunities for growth rather than anxiety. Develop strategies and resources for getting help with problems.
• Do provide help to your child with strategies, not answers. Provide as much support as is necessary, e.g. peer support or tutoring. Encourage a variety of problem-solving strategies:
  • guess and check
  • look for a pattern
  • make a diagram or model
  • act it out
  • work backwards
  • simplify the problem
  • eliminate possibilities
  • make a systematic list
  • get advice or research
  • sleep on it
• Do invite your child to share his thinking and understanding - or lack of it - in a safe and relaxed atmosphere.
• Do correct wrong answers in a positive fashion. The goal is to help build your child’s confidence and develop positive attitudes toward math.

Build your child’s literacy skills

Learning to read is a process

When a child learns to walk, he goes through certain stages from crawling to standing and, finally, to his first step. Learning to read is a similar process – learning is done through stages.

Every child is unique. Some move steadily from stage to stage while others take more time to move to the next stage. This is true whether a child is learning to walk or to read.

You can make a difference

Just as you helped your child to talk and walk, there are ways you can help your child read. To help your child move smoothly through the stages, the key is to give her the right kind of support at the right time.

The task of learning to read is the greatest single effort that the human mind can undertake. Your child cannot do it alone. To become a real reader your child needs you.

Just like a house requires a solid foundation, there are certain things your child needs to be able to do in order to learn how to read. These include:

• learning the letters of the alphabet
• learning sounds letters make
• learning how books "work" – for example, books are read from left to right, front to back

Try sounding out words

Sounding out words is difficult for beginning readers. Try these tips:

• Skip the word and finish the sentence. The meaning may become clearer.
• Ask "What word would make sense here?" Use your head and eyes to read.
• Look for a small word you know inside of a longer word, e.g. inside
• Use another word that makes sense

Focus on the positive

Beginners must see themselves as successful before they are capable. Confidence building is the key to reading success.

Try saying…

• "I like the way you stopped reading when the sentence didn't make sense"
• "I like the book you brought home for us to share"
• "Good reading! That's exactly what you should do"

Reading is more than just sounding out words

Efficient readers use strategies that go beyond phonics.

Comprehension involves making connections between print and the reader's experiences. Good readers use a variety of strategies to make meaning from print.

Give the right help at the right time

If you notice that your child…

• shows an interest in books and the print around them
• imitates you as you read
• retells stories she has heard
• memorizes favourite stories
• begins pointing to words
• retells stories she has heard
• memorizes favourite stories
• begins pointing to words
• reads common words (e.g. in a book, on a sign)
• sounds out words she doesn’t know
• points to the words being read

…you should:

• read to your child as often as you can
• accept and praise your child’s attempts to read
• talk about the books you read
• talk about the pictures
• have your child join in with familiar stories
• set up a home message board for your child to read and write notes
• try strategies other than sounding out
• give your child time to correct errors. If it makes sense, ignore it, for example if your child says “house” instead of “home,” that's okay.

Questions to ask during reading time

• Did the story remind you of anything you know about?
• What did you wonder about while you were reading?
• What do you think might happen next?
• What do you see in your head as you read this?
• What do you understand now that you didn't understand before?

Build your child’s numeracy skills

What is mathematical literacy?

The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (OECD, 1999) defines mathematical literacy as:

an individual’s capacity to identify and understand the role that mathematics plays in the world, to make well-founded mathematical judgments and to engage in mathematics, in ways that meet the needs of that individual’s current and future life as a constructive, concerned and reflective citizen.

Mathematical literacy encompasses the ability to:

• estimate in numerical or geometric situations
• know and understand mathematical concepts and procedures
• question, reason and solve problems
• make connections within mathematics, and between mathematics and life
• generate, interpret and compare data
• communicate mathematical reasoning

Mathematical literacy also includes understanding the value of mathematics and having the inclination and the confidence to use it.

How do you help your child to be mathematically literate?

Everyone can learn maths. First and foremost, believe in your child’s ability to learn mathematics.

Everyone can improve when provided with good teaching, coaching, encouragement and

practice.

• Do have high expectations for your child. Research shows that when you believe your child can learn, he will rise to the expectation.
• Do talk with your child’s teacher about how you can help and support her mathematical development.
• Do talk about mathematics in a positive way. Your positive attitude and valuing of mathematics are infectious.
• Do share your day-to-day math experiences with your child, and discuss:
  • Video and computer games
  • Television shows
  • Books
• Do encourage personal responsibility for learning. Emphasize that effort is as important as ability.
• Do talk with your child about the importance of homework. Encourage a regular time and place for completing homework. Even when homework has not been assigned, encourage daily review and practise of mathematics. Encourage your child to check the answers and ask for help when he is having difficulty.
• Do support your child through homework by listening and asking questions:
  • Allow your child to struggle through the process of problem-solving.
  • Discuss mistakes as learning opportunities.
  • Help your child by asking questions:
    • What do you need to find out?
    • Tell me what you know…
    • Show me what you started…
    • What can you try first?
    • Can you make a drawing or picture?
    • Will a list or table help?
• Do encourage persistence. Some problems take time to solve. Taking a break often provides fresh enthusiasm and alternative strategies.
• Do build on your child’s strengths and what she already knows. Make links between maths and daily life.
• Do explore your child’s thinking process:
  • Why did you…?
  • What can you do next?
  • Do you see any patterns?
  • Does the answer make sense?
  • Tell me in a different way.
  • What would happen if…?
• Do appreciate the value of not knowing and use these occasions as opportunities for growth rather than anxiety. Develop strategies and resources for getting help with problems.
• Do provide help to your child with strategies, not answers. Provide as much support as is necessary, e.g. peer support or tutoring. Encourage a variety of problem-solving strategies:
  • guess and check
  • look for a pattern
  • make a diagram or model
  • act it out
  • work backwards
  • simplify the problem
  • eliminate possibilities
  • make a systematic list
  • get advice or research
  • sleep on it
• Do invite your child to share his thinking and understanding - or lack of it - in a safe and relaxed atmosphere.
• Do correct wrong answers in a positive fashion. The goal is to help build your child’s confidence and develop positive attitudes toward math.

Build your child’s literacy skills

Learning to read is a process

When a child learns to walk, he goes through certain stages from crawling to standing and, finally, to his first step. Learning to read is a similar process – learning is done through stages.

Every child is unique. Some move steadily from stage to stage while others take more time to move to the next stage. This is true whether a child is learning to walk or to read.

You can make a difference

Just as you helped your child to talk and walk, there are ways you can help your child read. To help your child move smoothly through the stages, the key is to give her the right kind of support at the right time.

The task of learning to read is the greatest single effort that the human mind can undertake. Your child cannot do it alone. To become a real reader your child needs you.

Just like a house requires a solid foundation, there are certain things your child needs to be able to do in order to learn how to read. These include:

• learning the letters of the alphabet
• learning sounds letters make
• learning how books "work" – for example, books are read from left to right, front to back

Try sounding out words

Sounding out words is difficult for beginning readers. Try these tips:

• Skip the word and finish the sentence. The meaning may become clearer.
• Ask "What word would make sense here?" Use your head and eyes to read.
• Look for a small word you know inside of a longer word, e.g. inside
• Use another word that makes sense

Focus on the positive

"Beginners must see themselves as successful before they are capable. Confidence building is the key to reading success."

Try saying…

• "I like the way you stopped reading when the sentence didn't make sense"
• "I like the book you brought home for us to share"
• "Good reading! That's exactly what you should do"

Reading is more than just sounding out words

"Efficient readers use strategies that go beyond phonics."

Comprehension involves making connections between print and the reader's experiences. Good readers use a variety of strategies to make meaning from print.

Give the right help at the right time

If you notice that your child…

• shows an interest in books and the print around them
• imitates you as you read
• retells stories she has heard
• memorizes favourite stories
• begins pointing to words
• retells stories she has heard
• memorizes favourite stories
• begins pointing to words
• reads common words (e.g. in a book, on a sign)
• sounds out words she doesn’t know
• points to the words being read

…you should:

• read to your child as often as you can
• accept and praise your child’s attempts to read
• talk about the books you read
• talk about the pictures
• have your child join in with familiar stories
• set up a home message board for your child to read and write notes
• try strategies other than sounding out
• give your child time to correct errors. If it makes sense, ignore it, for example if your child says “house” instead of “home,” that's okay.

Questions to ask during reading time

• Did the story remind you of anything you know about?
• What did you wonder about while you were reading?
• What do you think might happen next?
• What do you see in your head as you read this?
• What do you understand now that you didn't understand before?