Fractions at the kitchen table: why the whole must stay the same size
A quarter is not automatically smaller than a half when the wholes differ. Use equal paper strips to separate the size of the whole from the number of equal parts.
All topics / Primary school
Learning & schoolwork
Worked reading, writing and maths exercises, plus practical preparation for school support.
16 articles
Search this topic →Subtraction across ten: showing fourteen minus six in two useful ways
Fourteen minus six can be shown with counters or as two backward jumps. Keep track of what is removed so that reaching ten does not become the answer by mistake.
An unfamiliar word in a reading book: when to explain and when to decode
A child may know what a word means without recognising it in print, or read it aloud without understanding it. Those two difficulties call for different kinds of help.
Revising one sentence: adding meaning without rewriting your child’s work
Before correcting every spelling, help a child decide what a reader needs to know. One purposeful change can improve a sentence while leaving the writing in the child’s hands.
Sounding out ship: four letters, three speech sounds
The printed word ship has four letters but three speech sounds: /sh/ /i/ /p/. The first two letters work together as one digraph, so sounding out the word means attending to three phonemes rather than saying four letter names.
Reading the same short book again: making practice useful
Rereading a short, connected text can support attention to accurate reading, smoother phrasing, and meaning. Give each pass a different purpose, step in briefly when a word stalls, and end with an idea from the text.
When a child guesses a printed word from its picture
Pictures can help a reader understand a story, but they do not identify the letters in a printed word. When a child guesses, direct attention back to the letter sequence, blend the sounds, and then use the picture to discuss meaning.
Retelling a story without turning reading into a quiz
A brief retell can help a child organize what happened and put story ideas into words. Use an open invitation, listen for a beginning, an important event, and an ending, then return to the passage together when a detail needs support.
Writing one sentence when spelling slows every word
When spelling interrupts an idea, separate deciding what to say from writing every letter. Rehearse one short sentence aloud, make useful words available, and leave the child responsible for composing and recording the thought.
Building handwriting stamina without a page of copied lines
Handwriting practice is more useful when it is brief, purposeful, and connected to writing a child can use. A teacher can guide the target; adults can provide a comfortable setup, a clear task, and room to notice what becomes tiring.
Making ten visible: counters before mental sums
Use counters to show how 7 + 5 can be reorganized as ten and two more. The visible moves connect the objects, spoken explanation, and number sentence before learners rely on mental steps.
How many more and how many altogether ask different questions
The same two quantities can invite a comparison or a combination. Matching sets and a shared bar model make the difference between “how many more?” and “how many altogether?” visible.
Two-digit place value with bundles of ten
Bundles of ten make the structure of 23 visible: two tens and three ones. Exchanging one bundle for ten loose ones keeps the quantity unchanged while clarifying the value of each digit.
Using a number line to cross ten
A number line shows addition as distance traveled. For 8 + 5, split the five into a jump of two to reach ten and a jump of three to reach thirteen.
Helping with a word problem without choosing the operation
Understand what each number counts and what the problem leaves unknown before selecting a calculation. A clear model for 24 children in 3 equal groups shows why the answer is 8 per group.
Preparing a learning-support meeting with actual work samples
A small, well-described set of dated schoolwork can help a learning-support meeting focus on what the learner was asked to do, what happened, and which supports may help next.