To be numerate is to confidently and effectively use mathematics to meet the everyday demands of life. Numeracy enables the development of logical thinking and reasoning strategies in everyday life. We need numeracy to solve problems, make sense of time, use recipes, reading a map or bill, reading instructions, etc.
Ways to support your child’s numeracy development
Research has shown that children’s motivation and achievement improve when their parents or carers are involved in their education. There are many things you can do to encourage numeracy learning.
These include:
- encouraging your child to use mathematical language: how much, how big, how small, how many
- discussing the use of numbers, patterns and shapes in your day-to-day life: numbers found on library books, spatial patterns or shapes in playgrounds, in the home and architecture
- talking about occasions when you are using mathematics in daily jobs and real-life situations: cooking, map reading, building and playing sport
- exploring situations using money such as shopping, budgets and credit cards
- estimating, measuring and comparing lengths and heights, how heavy or light things are and how much containers hold
- talking about different ways to solve a problem.
Students who participate in the Student Resource Scheme also have access to Mathletics through a school subscription. Throughout the year, we hold parent information sessions on how to use Mathletics to support students' numeracy development.