1. WELCOME TO THE FS PARENTS MEETING - MATHS AND WRITING
Thursday 22nd March 7-8pm

2. WE AIM TO COVER IN THIS MEETING:
A look at the Early Years Curriculum and the stages of development for MATHS AND WRITING.
Focus on Maths.
Maths Activities.
Focus on Writing.
Writing Activities.

3. THE EARLY YEARS MATHS CURRICULUM
THE MATHS CURRICULUM IS MADE UP OF 2 AREAS:
Numbers
Space, Shape and Measure
LOOK AT THE EARLY YEARS LEARNING OUTCOMES
30-50 months typical for a Nursery child
40-60 months typical for a Reception child

4. EARLY LEARNING GOAL – NUMBERS Children count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number. Using quantities and objects, they add and subtract two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find the answer. They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing.
EARLY LEARNING GOAL – SHAPE, SPACE AND MEASURES Children use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. They recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them.

5. LET’S BREAK DOWN THE SKILLS… (THIS IS COMPLEX LEARNING…!!)
Count reliably with numbers from 0 – 20
Place the numerals from 0 to 20 in order
Say which number is one more or one less than a given number
Add two quantities together (to 20 – using objects)
Subtract one quantity from another (to 10 – using objects)
Counting on (addition) to find the answer
Counting back (subtraction) to find the answer
Solving problems (including halving / doubling/sharing)
Explore objects and shapes and describe them
Talk about measurements, size, time, money, distance in everyday language
Recognise patterns, make patterns and talk about what patterns they see

6. Let’s consider early counting…to 10…
Children need to construct their understanding of the number system:
What do we mean by 3?
Where does 3 come in the order?
What does 3 look like?
How do I write 3?
Is 3 apples the same as 3 trains?
How can I make 3?

7. Then what happens?? •eleven… •twelve… •The tricky teens…
What do you know about the number 15?
“Spotting a pattern is at the heart of
mathematical thinking….”

8. Maths -An abstract concept…
“Number” is an abstract concept…
It only makes sense to children when it is brought to life and children can have visual prompts / stimulus to make sense of it.
We need to help them make sense of Maths through lots of practical experiences as possible.
They need lots of opportunities to count, compare, combine, take away, share, group, visualise, discuss and talk “number”.
In Nursery and Year R Maths is taught mostly through play and having challenges set using a variety of mathematical resources and everyday objects.

9. Resources We have to give children lots of different ways of visualising number. The more images they have the better!
Number lines
Numicon
Unifix cubes
Sorting objects
But you can use anything: Don’t forget FINGERS!
What opportunities could you use at home to show your children number in a visual way?

10. FIVE COUNTING PRINCIPLES:
The one-to-one principle
The stable-order principle
The cardinal principle
The abstraction principle
The order-irrelevance principle
(Gelman and Gallistel 1978 The Child’s Understanding of Number)

11. THE ONE-TO-ONE PRINCIPLE Assigning one – and only one – distinct counting word to each of the items item to be counted . Even if they say 1,6,2.
THE STABLE-ORDER PRINCIPLE
Knowing that the list of words must be in a repeatable order
(this calls for the use of a stable list that is at least as long as the number of objects to be counted. If you only know the number names up to ‘six’, you are obviously not able to count seven items.)
THE CARDINAL PRINCIPLE
The number name allocated to the final object in a collection represents the number of items in that collection. If a child has to count again in response to ‘how many?’ they have not grasped this principle. The train in a row of 5 objects is number 5 but 5 also is the total number of that group of objects.

12. THE ABSTRACTION PRINCIPLE Obviously, for young children learning to count it is easier if the objects are tangible and, where possible, moveable, in order to help them to distinguish the ‘already counted’ from the ‘yet to be counted’ group. To understand this principle, children need to appreciate that they can count non-physical things such as sounds, imaginary objects or even the counting words – as is the case when ‘counting on’.
THE ORDER-IRRELEVANCE PRINCIPLE The order in which items are counted is irrelevant. Left to right, right to left – it doesn’t matter as long as each item is counted once and only once.
CONSERVATION OF NUMBER…..
If we re-arrange them, the quantity is always the same.

13. `NUMBER RHYMES AND SONGS
NUMBER RHYMES and NUMBER SONGS provide an ideal way to help your child develop numeracy skills from a young age. Encourage them to perform actions to accompany the songs using their fingers, teddies or even finger puppets. Number songs are easy for children to remember and can be an excellent starting point for counting and mathematical work.  When singing focus on teaching your child the order of numerals and counting. Encourage your child to do an action for each part of the song.  Once you have sung the songs with your child, they will quickly start singing the rhymes independently.
WHAT NUMBER RHYMES DO YOU KNOW?
EXAMPLES:  5 Currant Buns Green Bottles
5 Fat sausages ,2,3,4,5 Once I caught a fish alive in a Bed
AW to share the rhyme – 5 Currant Buns

14. EARLY MATHEMATICAL RECORDING….
Children’s mathematical graphics begin in play and it is an important stage which supports their developing understanding of mathematics.
Children need to be encouraged to choose to use their own mathematical graphics to represent their mathematical thinking; in a sense they are thinking on paper. Children, when given the opportunity, will choose to make mathematical marks which can include scribbles, drawing, writing, tallies, invented and standard symbols.
SO WE:
EARLY MATHEMATICAL RECORDING….
Encourage children to record in their own meaningful ways. “Show me your thinking” .
Ask them to “read” their work back to us and to explain it to others.
Ensure we have mark-making equipment always to hand so they can share their mathematical ideas.

15. Your turn!
Have a go at recording your findings to the following mathematical problem:
10 animals were squeezed into the Old lady’s house and it was a squash and a squeeze. The Old lady sent 3 of the animals away. How many animals were left?
You are not allowed to write a ‘sum’ or number sentence – so no formal mathematical symbols!

16. “A cross means you lose”.
“I am 3”.
Child age 3 ½
“A cross means you lose”.
Child age 4
“This is where you double lose”.
Child age 4
“7, 6 and 8”.
Child age 3 ½

17. Can 8 be shared equally between 2? Child age 5 ½

18. YOUR TURN - MATHS ACTIVITIES
Number activities - see sheet on your table.
Rich Mathematical Tasks – see sheet on your table.

19. Finally.....
Maths is a lot more than counting or finding answers to a list of sums.
Maths is about working hard to find a solution to a problem, seeing a pattern to a solution and applying previous knowledge to a new concept.
Congratulate your child on the processes they use and how they go about their Maths – they need to learn that sometimes they will get the wrong answer and that this is ok.
Challenge your children with maths problems that encourage them to use all the above skills we have talked about – praise their working out, their processes, their own ways of recording, their ideas and their perseverance.
MOST OF ALL MAKE MATHS FUN!

20. THE EARLY YEARS WRITING CURRICULUM
FIRST…….
Think about all the things you have to do to be able to write
Compile a list on your table together.
Which table will think of the most?

21. TO WRITE CHILDREN HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THE FOLLOWING THINGS:-
Find a pencil and paper!
Work out how to hold the pencil and which way up the paper goes!
Think of what to write.
Understanding of the concept of a word.
Think of the first word in the sentence.
Think of the letter sounds in the words.
Think of how to write that letter – what it looks like.
Remember how to write the letter on the paper.
Remember to put spaces between words.
Put in some Punctuation.
Write in a straight line.
Writing from left to right.
Spell the words.
Read back what they have already written to make sure it makes senses
And lots more!!!!

22. Your turn now to know what it feels like to write like a beginner…..
Listen carefully to the instructions!!

23. THE EARLY YEARS WRITING CURRICULUM
THE LITERACY CURRICULUM IS MADE UP OF 2 AREAS:
Reading
Writing
LOOK AT THE EARLY YEARS LEARNING OUTCOMES
30-50 months typical for a Nursery child
40-60 months typical for a Reception child

24. Early Learning Goal – Writing
Children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds. They also write some irregular common words. They write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others. Some words are spelt correctly and others are phonetically plausible.
THIS MEANS THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO:
Hear the phonemes/sounds that they say and know how to write them down.
Use their memory to remember how to write tricky words eg. to, me, was, the
Make sure their writing can be read by others.
Spell key words correctly.
Make attempts at difficult words using their phomene knowledge eg. Plees=please, yoo=you, bloow=blue, pled=played.

25. Handwriting in the Foundation Stage
GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
Whole arm and shoulder actions developing anti-clockwise and vertical movements. To develop these children can:
Wash windows – large paintbrushes, scraper and buckets of water.
Wash bicycles and cars – sponges/water.
Painting walls and ground with water and large paintbrushes.
Making large patterns with paint on old wallpaper.
Climbing equipment.
Swing ball type activities, for example, suspend hollow balls on string and provide bats.
Hoop rolling.
Swirl sticks with ribbons.

26. Your turn!
Choose a piece of equipment from the table and tell someone on your table exactly what you need to be able to do to achieve this skill.

27. Handwriting in the Foundation Stage
HAND-EYE CO-ORDINATION AND FINE MOTOR SKILLS
Cutting with scissors, for example, collage area.
Playing musical instruments.
Cooking – real or play-stirring, kneading, cutting.
Pouring water.
Ball and bat games.
Painting – various sized brushes, finger painting.
Drawing – felt-tips, chalk, pencils, crayons.
Make patterns in wet or dry sand with fingers.
Pegging dolls’ clothes onto a washing line.
Small world toys.
Use malleable materials, for example: clay, play-dough, compost, plasticine, shaving foam, pasta, with a variety of tools, for example, chopsticks, cutters, scissors, potato mashers, rolling pins.
Lacing and threading, for example, lacing beads onto string, pegboards

28. Learning to hold a pencil …..
Be aware that pencil grip is not only a work in progress in terms of motor development but also muscle development. Here are some of the common stages ...

29. Handwriting in the Foundation Stage
VISUAL DISCRIMINATION
Noticing shape, direction and orientation.
Matching shapes and pictures.
Identifying differences between shapes or pictures, for example, odd one out, spot the difference.
Jigsaws.
Reproducing patterns, for example, threading beads, assembling multilink.
Sorting letter shapes, for example, magnetic letters.

30. Beginning Letter Formation
As each child’s co-ordination develops and as letter-like shapes appear in emergent writing, specific guidance on correct letter formation will be introduced. It is important to ensure that children hold pencils and writing tools effectively.
Remember that not all children will be ready at the same time.
Children are taught how to form their letter shapes correctly with a rhyme that goes with each letter to help them remember.
Show alphabet cards and share the rhymes

31. EARLY Stages In Writing Development
MARK MAKING: Writing development starts with pictures. Scribbles and pictures are interchangeable. Children cannot discriminate between the two, and do not yet connect print with meaning. Most children do not associate text with the pictures.
LETTERS AND LETTER-LIKE FORMS: Children begin to repeat letters, typically from seeing their names in print. They do not associate letters with the sounds in words, but they do link text with meaning.
BEGINNING SOUNDS: Inventive spelling occurs at this stage. Children represent words with one or more letters that are most distinctively heard when saying the word. First letters in words are mostly represented at this stage.
BEGINNING AND ENDING SOUNDS: Children begin to write using sounds they hear at the beginning and end of the words.
MODELLING WRITING
AW – to do some emergent writing
CS – to write an average Year R child
Write me a sentence about your family

32. EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN’S WRITING DEVELOPMENT:

33. How to support your child at home
Let your child use writing tools such as pencils, washable markers, chalk, and crayons. Gather and organise these materials, along with some paper, in a box that your child can decorate and have access to.
Encourage your child to use drawing to express ideas and tell stories.
Show your child that written words are a part of daily life. From grocery lists and messages to billboards and signs in stores, writing is everywhere!
Teach your child to write their first name. (Be patient, as this will take practice.)
Label your child’s belongings with her name. And, let your child label some of her own things (such as a notebook or crayon box).
Let your child use play dough or clay for hands-on practice shaping letters of the alphabet.

34. FINALLY: IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:
The more often and the earlier your child holds a pencil the more they will learn how to use it…..don’t worry about writing words or names at first but just have fun mark making – with all kinds of writing materials – felt pens, wax crayons, colouring pencils, biros, etc. Use big pieces of paper and lots of colours, pressing hard and making large movements on the paper.
Sounding out words, talking about rhyming and having fun with words will help them with their spelling/writing later on.
Children need to have experiences, imagination and knowledge to be able to write. As parents this is a vital job for you – read exciting stories to your children, teach them lots of facts and give them as many real life experiences as you can.