Would you be concerned with these levels?

[gloriafloria]

My son is just finishing y3. His levels on his end of year report are 2a Writing, 2a Maths and 3a Reading.

He does not like doing any writing or maths at home. He would also choose something else rather than pick up a book but he will read from time to time. He does his homework but I can see he writes as little as possible, forgets to put in words and doesn't always finish a word. I've suggested doing something like mathsfactor and even getting a tutor but he says he's fine and doesn't need any help.

I'm in two minds should I just forget about it all and have a nice summer or try and help him so he's got a good start going in to y4? I'm really not expecting him to get to the top in his class but I do feel when he doesn't get something he gets distracted in class and then switches off.

[PastSellByDate]

Hi Gloria:

This little article by Mumsnet on progress through NC Levels may be of help - scroll down to the chart at the bottom for the notional achievement of a child at the end of a given school year: www.mumsnet.com/learning/assessment/progress-through-national-curriculum-levels

According to MN a 2a/ 3c is what a child should typically achieve by end of Y3 - so on that basis your child is 'at expected progress' for writing/ Maths and above expected progress for Reading.

I think what I would be considering is encouraging a bit of gentle practice in areas of maths/ writing:

Writing
Encourage postcards this summer or fan letters to authors/ tv shows
Encourage keeping a diary or writing stories or making cartoons

Maths:
Lots of on-line video games out there to practice skills. I've posted on that a lot - by Woodlands Junior school Maths Zone and Maths Champs are great places to start - just type into a search engine.

Times tables are going to be the obvious next step - and may be worthwhile visiting //www.multiplication.com

Times Attack (www.bigbrainz.com/) is also a great way of improving recall speed of times table facts & reviewing them - just download the free version.

Card games are a great way to practice skills. You can play multiplication snap by chosing a table to practice (say x 4) and then flipping cards - the first to shout out the answer (correct answer that is) wins the cards. The one with the most cards at the end wins.

Ace = 1, 2 - 9 as numbered, Jack = 10/ Queen = 11 and King = 12.

With reading - remember that comic books and magazines do count as 'reading' as well. Also local libraries often have various programmes/ competitions to encourage reading in the summer. Don't forget you can always read to him. We also have a policy of no movie/ DVD unless you've read the book.

None of this need take up more than 10 - 15 minutes a day (max 30 minutes) - but we found regularly doing 'a bit' each day - often in those dead times when I'm cooking/ cleaning/ getting things together to go out for the day - can really add up.

If your school subscribes to things like Bug Club/ My Maths/ Education City/ etc... - those subscriptions will run over the summer - so you can also use those resources. The games on my maths are great - just talk to your DC about what level they've been working on (or check 'results') - and then select games at that level or slightly above.

HTH

[redskybynight]

2a/3c is expected level for end of Y3. So your DS is doing ok.
And Y2-Y3 is often a bit of a jump and progress stalls (how did he do last year?)

In terms of stuff over the summer, with my DC, I am considering doing some consolidation of tables and mental maths via games , plus encouraging them to keep holiday scrapbooks (though DS still won't write much) and making up stories in the car to encourage more "interesting" sentence structure, words etc.

And we'll read loads including doing the summer reading challenge.

I'm not a fan of huge amounts of work over the holidays, but I hope the above will just keep them "ticking over" whilst hopefully not feeling too much like work!

[PastSellByDate]

Just concurring with redsky's view of doing a bit to keep them 'ticking over' - I think it makes a big difference and means the return to school isn't a big shock.

Possibly very important at Y6/ Y7 transition - where here (Birmingham) at least there seems to be a lot of testing in the first weeks of Y7 to re-assess pupil ability.

[bronya]

It all depends on what your DC got at the end of Y2. The levels at the end of Y3 should be 1-2 'grades' higher than that. E.g. if the end of Y2 level was a 2c, then a 2a at the end of Y3 is good progress. If it was 2b, then 2a is still ok. If your DC was 2a at the end of Y2 and 2a at the end of Y3, then you might be concerned! Often children make less progress in Y3 than they do in Y4 onwards. First year of juniors, different approach etc.

[gloriafloria]

Great info from everyone, so thanks v much! My gut feeling was that we should try and do a bit of work over the holidays and even if it's just 15 minutes a day it may help him next year.

I'm sure his levels last year were 2b so I know on paper he's made progress but I have a feeling there are a few gaps in his maths. With regard to writing I honestly feel there hasn't been a big improvement but then I haven't seen his school books yet.

I'm all for helping him myself but in the past we've ended up coming to blows and then I worry I'll damage his confidence even more. They're going to do the reading challenge so that's a start and I'll look into the times tables games as well.

Thanks all.

[gloriafloria]

Just coming back to update on this thread. After trying and not getting very far with playing some maths games I decided about two weeks ago to sign up with mathsfactor. It was a slog to get him to do the assessments but with a little bribary he did it and it showed he was on the next level up from the very basic counting and recognising numbers So he started with adding 1 to a number up to 10 and with lots of encouragement is now on adding numbers 1 - 9 to numbers up to 99 and for the first time ever has said he is actually good at maths and likes it Every morning he does about 30 minutes and couldn't wait to show his Dad his certificate when he got a gold marble. I know he's got a long way to go but I do feel going right back to the beginning is what he needed to build his confidence. I'm in no way whatsoever affiliated to this site but I wanted to let you know that so far it's working for us. For him I think the repetition is what helps him and he needs this type of learning. I think in the classroom they race ahead at times and as he just scraped by he didn't get the extra support he needs. I keep thinking back to last March with his teacher smiling away at parents evening telling us he could do column addition when in fact he really didn't understand even basic adding. I'm going to be sure to tell his new teacher when the next parent evening comes along.

[gloriafloria]

And he's reading a bit each day and writing a sentence or 2. He also wrote three letters to his sister when she was away and I can see how much better is handwriting is. He's already said when we go away next week he's going to send 10 postcards! We are making progress!

[Ferguson]

It's a shame for a child when the potential is there, but, for whatever reason, they are reluctant to work as hard as required, and maybe don't enjoy it.

I was primary TA / helper for over twenty years, so I'll suggest a few things.

Reading and Spelling:

In the MN books reviews area, "Children's educational books and courses" section, the Oxford Phonics Spelling Dictionary is reviewed. This book can greatly help with understanding how Phonics and Spelling works, and it is enjoyable and entertaining to use. The review gives a link to view sample pages from it, and you can purchase from there if you so wish.

Writing:

That is great that he is starting to write more. When I had Yr2 boys who were VERY reluctant to write anything, I used to let them DICTATE their story to me, and I would type is on the computer as they went along. If you have a tape recorder, or a phone that can record, if he wants to do a longer piece of writing, it might encourage him if he dictates and records it first. He can then review it, and write, or type it, out later on.


Numeracy:

Besides practising 'sums', it is good if the maths can have a PURPOSE. Data collection and producing graphs and charts from the results, can be interesting. Collect data on a subject that interests him; maybe makes of cars he sees, or sports results. Or he could 'interview' friends on their favourite food, sport, band, pet - or whatever, and produce graphs to show the results.

Cooking, or model making, are activities that can involve maths concepts.

Finally, I will add some basic numeracy information, though much of it may be stuff he already knows or be too simple, as it is for students who struggle with maths:

?QUOTE:

Practical things are best for grasping number concepts - bricks, Lego, beads, counters, money, shapes, weights, measuring, cooking.

Do adding, taking away, multiplication (repeated addition), division (sharing), using REAL OBJECTS as just 'numbers' can be too abstract for some children.

Number Bonds of Ten forms the basis of much maths work, so try to learn them. Using Lego or something similar, use a LOT of bricks (of just TWO colours, if you have enough) lay them out so the pattern can be seen of one colour INCREASING while the other colour DECREASES. Lay them down, or build up like steps.

So:

ten of one colour none of other
nine of one colour one of other
eight of one colour two of other
seven of one colour three of other

etc, etc

then of course, the sides are equal at 5 and 5; after which the colours 'swap over' as to increasing/decreasing.

To learn TABLES, do them in groups that have a relationship, thus:

x2, x4, x8

x3, x6, x12

5 and 10 are easy

7 and 9 are rather harder.

Starting with TWO times TABLE, I always say: "Imagine the class is lining up in pairs; each child will have a partner, if there is an EVEN number in the class. If one child is left without a partner, then the number is ODD, because an odd one is left out."

Use Lego bricks again, lay them out in a column of 2 wide to learn 2x table. Go half way down the column, and move half the bricks up, so that now the column is 4 bricks wide. That gives the start of 4x table.

Then do similar things with 3x and 6x.

With 5x, try and count in 'fives', and notice the relationship with 'ten' - they will alternate, ending in 5 then 10.

It is important to try and UNDERSTAND the relationships between numbers, and not just learn them 'by rote'.

I am sorry it seems complicated trying to explain these concepts, but using Lego or counters should make understanding easier.

An inexpensive solar powered calculator (no battery to run out!) can help learn tables by 'repeated addition'. So: enter 2+2 and press = to give 4. KEEP PRESSING = and it should add on 2 each time, giving 2 times table.

There are good web sites, which can be fun to use :

//www.ictgames.com/

//www.resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/index.html

UNQUOTE

[Lizziewarmington]

What a fantastic reply from Ferguson. Thank you for so much helpful information. One thing that I heard recently that shocked me is that the so called average child gets a 2b in y2 and should then get a 4b in y6 and should then get Cs at GCSE. To me that's not great so I now think the better they do at primary in maths and English the better set up they are for secondary. Apparently if you only get a 4c in maths in y6 you only have a 1 in 3 chance of an A-C in GCSE . It's worth putting the effort in when they are young.

[gloriafloria]

Yes thanks very much for all the advice there Ferguson. I think now he feels more confident he may be more open to trying some of those. In the past when we've tried doing things like number bonds and times tables he seemed to get it but then the next time he would have to start over and not have learnt the skill. I'm hoping that the repetition (believe me there is alot of it having done 760 sums so far that are all very similar!) will be locked in.