Big Maths

As you are aware, we have introduced a new maths programme into our classes here at Penygawsi Primary.  I would like to run you through this fabulous scheme as I am sure the children have been speaking a lot about it at home.

Big Maths is a teaching programme used to help children to become numerate. Problem solving and word problems cannot be solved until children can manipulate and understand how numbers work.

Big Maths lessons are fast and fun. Children work on whiteboards and ‘flash’ answers to their teachers and the pace of the lesson is quite exciting.  We need to pass on the pressure to work at pace and have maths facts instantly available, rather than counting on fingers.

The children are introduced to child-friendly terms such as ‘Switchers’ and ‘Learn Its’, rather than ‘commutative law’ and ‘number bonds’ to help them manipulate numbers and make them more confident and more successful.

CLIC Sessions

This stands for ‘Counting’, ‘Learn Its’, ‘It’s Nothing New’ and ‘Calculation’. Maths lessons contain each of these elements.

COUNTING

Children will count forwards, backwards, in steps of 3 6 or 25, read and write numbers and in multiples. When practising counting at home with your children, make sure you go backwards and forwards. Don’t always start at 0 – make sure they can count on from 75 to 106 for example.

Meet Count Fourways He teaches the children to count out loud in four ways. They count in 1s, 2s, 5s and 25s.  it is not simply about learning to count in those multiples, it is about the children being confident enough to make links when reading scales, graphs and developing their understanding of fractions.

‘LEARN ITS’

Learn Its are addition facts and times tables facts. There are 72 Learns Its in total. 36 addition Learn Its and 36 multiplication Learn Its. These are facts that children need to learn off by heart, so when they are asked ‘What is 6+4?’ they are able to give the answer as quickly as they would be able to tell you their name. As soon as they know 3x5=15 they also know 5x3=15 (This is known as a ‘Switcher’)

‘Learn Its’ by Year Group

Ø      Reception – Doubles of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 2+1 = 3 and 2+3 = 5.

Ø      Year 1 – Doubles of 6, 7, 8, 9, and numbers which make 10 (2+8, 7+3)

Ø      Year 2- Remainder of 1 digit + 1 digit facts (eg 9+7=16)

Ø      Year 3 – focus on x3 x4 x9 tables facts.

Ø      Year 4 – the six remaining facts (6x6, 6x7, 6x8, 7x7, 7x8,8x8,) and 36 Addition Learn Its.

Ø      Year 5 and 6 - all 72 Learn Its.

Your child’s teacher will select the Learn Its for your child to work on and rather than race ahead. Please work at home to make sure they really do know their Learn Its and their Switchers with INSTANT RECALL (no fingers!)

IT’S NOTHING NEW

This is the most important aspect of CLIC – the way children become successful and properly numerate.  Ideas such as 5 things and 3 things are always 8 things. If we then change the ‘thing’ to tens for example. 5 tens + 3 tens = 8 tens.  Children will count in bananas, aliens, cats etc. to lead into this.

It becomes much easier to use amounts and measures such as ml, m, Pim the Alien is used to reinforce this concept.  The idea is that the learning is nothing new – children find begin told that this means they feel able to answer the questions with real understanding.  If a child knows double 4, they can use that to find double 40 with confidence.

This friendly alien is PIM, the 'principle of irrelevant matter'! That means that number facts stay the same and it doesn't matter what you are counting CALCULATIONS

This aspect of CLIC is when the teacher will work on developing the class’ progress and understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  Big Maths clearly maps out which steps children should do in a clear order and helps teachers to identify where to go back to if a child is struggling.

This is Mully Multiple and he helps the children to put numbers in order.  He likes to hide behind the biggest multiple of a number he can find.  He is used to develop the children’s confidence in dividing without them even realising!

Strategies Used During Big Maths

Depending on their year group, the children will be exposed to some or all of the below strategies throughout the year:

Addition

Ø      With Objects

Ø      Number Lines

Ø      Hundred Squares

Ø      Partitioning

Ø      Partitioned Column

Ø      Column Method

Subtraction

Ø      With Objects

Ø      Number Lines

Ø      Hundred Square

Ø      Blank number line-(Counting on)

Multiplication

Ø      Grouping objects

Ø      Drawing dots

Ø      Repeated Addition

Ø      Using known facts

Ø      Smile Multiplication

Division

Ø      Sharing

Ø      Halving

Ø      Sharing Equally

Ø      Groups of

Ø      Using objects to solve

Ø      Using Times table facts

Ø      Using coin facts

This is a fabulous teaching method which the pupils and teachers alike are enjoying.  It is a rigorous, structured and systematic approach which provides the pupils with fun and engaging maths sessions as they learn through games, jingles and the famous Big Maths characters.

Ask your child about their CLIC sessions and find out the Learn Its they are focusing on at present.  I am sure you will see the enjoyment in their faces as they talk to you about it.

I hope this gives you a detailed explanation of our new and exciting maths programme at our school.  Further information will be offered throughout the year.

Many Thanks

Mrs Rees (Maths Co-ordinator)