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Teaching elementary math is no walk in the park, even for veteran teachers and parents. More often than not, elementary schoolers struggle with grade 4 math. So, how do you break through this wall and help them understand math?
In this guide, we'll explore the 6 best techniques for helping elementary schoolers learn math. But first, we'd need to address the problem from its source? What could cause kids to struggle with math? We can list a few reasons off the top of our heads such as:
Math anxiety
According to research, a significant percentage of Americans suffer from math anxiety. This syndrome often leads to certain habits such as math avoidance or a lack of motivation towards learning. If your child displays any of these symptoms or is struggling to grasp basic math concepts, they may be suffering from math anxiety.
Learning difficulties
You've probably heard of dyslexia. But have you heard of dyscalculia? Also known as math/ number dyslexia, dyscalculia is a learning disability that can affect the way kids learn math. Typically, kids who have this disability may struggle with remembering math facts or find it hard to understand the concept of quantity.
A lack of proper building blocks
If you're trying to build a house with the wrong foundation, chances are it would collapse in the blink of an eye. The same applies to learning math. If a child doesn't properly understand one area of math, they'd find it pretty difficult to grasp other concepts or move forward.
6 Ways to Help Elementary Kids Understand Math
Use Math Games
There's nothing kids love more than a good old game. So, if you're trying to help them learn math, why not use something they already know so well? Try incorporating math games into each lesson to spice things up a little. At the end of the day, they'll feel motivated to learn math. More importantly, they'll grasp the concepts easily.
You could create in-person math games of your own or try out Brighterly.com for a more personalized learning experience.
Incorporate visuals
According to Atlassian, up to 65% of the world's population are visual learners. This means that there's a huge chance that your child or elementary schooler is a visual learner. Thus, to help them understand math better, throw some interesting visuals into the mix. Seeing physical representations of ideas will give them a grasp of math concepts and deepen their understanding.
Make the lessons a hands-on experience
Learning doesn't always have to be about chalkboards and worksheets. Loosen things up a little and offer your elementary schoolers a hands-on experience. This could mean using geoboards or even taking them on math scavenger hunts.
Connect math to everyday life
Wondering how to make elementary math for kids easy? Here's an easy tip: connect math to everyday life. Introduce your kids to the different ways in which math can be used in our daily lives such as shopping, home cooking, and so on. This will help them see the importance of math and boost their understanding.
Encourage teamwork
Kids tend to learn from each other when they work together. You can encourage team work by assigning group projects or fixing discussion-based lessons.
Give feedback
Want to help your students understand math better? Always provide feedback. If they get a math question wrong, don't just stop at telling them they're wrong. Offer comprehensive feedback to help them avoid similar mistakes in the future.
Final Thoughts
Teaching elementary schoolers math isn't all roses and sunshine. To achieve real results, you'd need to step away from traditional teaching and get creative. Fortunately, these tips outlined above will set you on the path to success.
Good luck!