How can I help my child?

Welcome to our Year 2 Teaching and Learning page. Our aim is for every child to Let Their Light Shine!

We will hopefully explain on this page how and why we do what we do. If you would like any further explanation or support with working with your child at home then please make an appointment to come and see us.

Addition and subtraction using tens and ones

If the children need to add two 2 digit numbers, we would encourage them to use the tens and ones method.

Firstly they write out the calculation that they need to solve the problem. E.g.

45 + 13 =

Then they draw 'lines and dots' (tens and ones) underneath the two parts.

5 ones + 3 ones = 8 ones

4 tens +1 ten = 5 tens

5 tens + 8 ones = 58

 

The same startegy would be used for subtraction except taking away instead (see exchange below if needed).

45 - 13 =

Draw 'lines and dots' (tens and ones) underneath and circle the 'part' not the 'whole' (in this case 13). This is to ensure that if they need to exchange that they don't exchange the number they are taking away.

5 ones - 3 ones = 2 ones

4 tens - 1 ten = 3 tens

3 tens + 2 ones = 32

Subtracting with an exchange

Please ask the children whether they have enough ones to take away. If they don't then they will need to use an exchange.

This is the written method we have been using;

45 - 16=

1. Write this in lines and dots

2. Put a circle around the amount you are taking away, you cannot exchange this amount

3. You can't take 6 ones away from 5 ones so you need to exchange 1 ten for ten ones. Cross out one line and draw ten ones. Now you don't have 4 tens and 5 ones you have 3 tens and 15 ones.

4. 15 ones - 6 ones = 9 ones

5. 3 TENS - 1 ten = 2 tens

6. 2 tens + 9 ones = 29

7. 45- 16= 29

This is the step before column subtraction which we will introduce after the children are secure at this method. Please try not to use column until we have introduced it in school, thank you.

 

Multiplication

Each of these stages follows the same process; concrete (using physical objects such as counters), pictorial (drawing out their work) and then abstract (writing number sentences). The children must be able to solve problems using objects and pictures before they attempt to solve calculations.

 

  1. The first step is to ensure that children understand that multiplication can only take place with equal groups. If you have a group of 2, another group of 2 and a group of 3 you cannot use multiplication to find your answer. Sounds simple enough but this is essential for when children have to choose which method to use for a word problem!

  2. Once the children understand that you need equal groups we begin to describe pictures. For example if you had 3 plates with 2 cupcakes on each plate you would say: “I have 3 equal groups with 2 in each group. I have 6 altogether”.

  3. You can then write this as 2+2+2. We call this repeated addition. Once the children can write repeated addition we say that we can make this simpler by saying “3 lots of 2”or “3 groups of 2”.

  4. Only once the children understand these stages do we introduce the multiplication sign. We now would write three plates with two cupcakes on each plate as 2+2+2 OR 3x2. We focus on the language of multiplication: “groups of”, “lots of”, multiplied by”, “times” and we also show them that you can say “3 2’s are 6”.

  5. We then show the children that they can represent 3x2 as an array. An array is a pictorial way of solving problems and demonstrating multiplication. The children make the arrays using counters first, then draw them and then write the calculations once these concepts are secure. This is the array to show that 2+2+2 = 6 OR 3 x 2 = 6:

           Oval:

You count down each column to find out how many are in each group and across to find the number of groups.

6. At this point we can begin to investigate that 2 x 3 and 3 x 2 have the same answer using arrays

7. From this point the children apply their knowledge of multiplication to solve problems. We will also begin to learn our times tables by heart (see below). An example of a word problem would be:

There are 15 fingers, how many hands are there?
Children could solve this using an array. Draw/make 5 counters in a column and keep going until the total is 15 (counting in 5’s). How many groups have you made? This is your answer.

 


 

Learning your times tables by heart

This is an important skill! We have been using Percy Parker at school:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhvG-vcpQWw

However these BBC Megamaths videos (from the 1990's!) are also fantastic for your children to watch at home. They use all the language which we are encouraging at school "groups of", "lots of" and "times". The videos sings, dances and had stories to help the children remember the number sequences of the times tables. It also brings in arrays (shown as spades), odd and even numbers and reasoning and problem solving. At one point the children play a game where they are using a snakes and ladders board, this is a fantastic game to play at home. Sometimes the old resources are the best!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bITskoXsZRw

Please be aware that this only shows children up to 10 x the number and the New Curriculum requires children to know up to 12 x.

Please always monitor your child if they are using YouTube

 

 

Division

Each of these stages follows the same process; concrete (using physical objects such as counters), pictorial (drawing out their work) and then abstract (writing number sentences). The children must be able to solve problems using objects and pictures before they attempt to solve calculations.

1. The first stage of division is making equal groups by sharing. So if we have 15 cubes altogether and there are 3 plates, we can put one at a time on each plate until we have no cubes left. We would say “I have 15 cubes altogether. There 3 plates. There are 5 cubes on each plate.” If we did not have objects, we could draw three circles and draw a dot in each until we reached the total amount.

An example of this type of word problem would be:

I have 15 cakes and I need to share them between 3 people, how many cakes do they get each?

2. The children need to also be able to divide by grouping. So if we have 20 pencils and we need to know how many pots we need if 5 fit in each, we could group our 20 pencils into groups of 5. We would say “There are 20 pencils altogether. There are 5 pencils in each pot. There are 4 pots”. If we did not have the objects we could draw the total number of dots and draw circles around the groups.

An example of this type of word problem would be:

Pencils come in packs of 20. We need 5 pencils in each pot. How many pots will we need for each pack?

3. Once the children understand the difference between grouping and sharing we look at division in lots of different problems and try to choose the correct method.

4. Then we look more closely at the relationship between multiplication and division and focus on dividing by 2, 5, and 10.

Fractions

The children need to be able to recognise both unit fractions (1/2, 1/3, ¼) and non-unit fractions (2/3, 2/4, ¾) and need to explain that the parts of the whole must be equal.

When working out a fraction of an AMOUNT, for example “What is 1/3 of 15?” We ask the children to share 15 into 3 equal groups (as described in division above) and then find the total of 1 of these groups. This is useful when finding 2/3 or ¾. For ¾ of 12, the children would share 12 into 4 equal groups and then count the total of 3 groups to find 9. We say “count 3 out of the four equal parts”.

When working out a fraction of a SHAPE we use the language as above. If the children had to colour 1/3 of the shape below we would say “colour 1 out of every 3 equal parts”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once they are confident with the language we can introduce different patterns and shapes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The children would say “I know this 1/3 because 1 out of every three equal parts is coloured”.

 

SPAG

(Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar)

As children move through school they begin to take part in daily SPAG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) lessons. In Year 2 the children have a differentiated 20minute phonics lesson per day and  15 minute SPAG lesson each morning. The children should rely less on their phonics knowledge and begin to apply their SPAG skills to their writing. In Key Stage 2 the children will continue with daily SPAG lessons.

At the bottom of the page is a glossary of the SPAG terminology that the children will be learning in Year 2.

 

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Tarporley CE Primary, Park Road, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0AN

Tel: 01829 708188 | Email: admin@tarporleyce.cheshire.sch.uk

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