What To Do When Your Child Is Struggling With Learning Maths?

Is your kid having a hard time grasping mathematical concepts? Is it hard for them to grasp the ideas and finish the assignments?

Well, if that’s the case, you can relax knowing that you’re not alone. There are ways to help your child, and you are not alone among parents in this predicament.

In this post, I’ll discuss some of the most effective strategies you can use to encourage your child’s growth in mathematics. Please continue reading for some useful suggestions.

In Dr Study, we want your child to succeed, and our tutoring programs have been proven to help students reach their full potential. With over 30,000 happy students, you can trust that we know what we’re doing.

How to Determine What Your Child Is Having Problems With in Math

To figure out if your child is struggling with mathematics and which specific topics they are struggling with, you will need to know what they are expected to know and be able to do at that stage in their education.

The teacher your child is currently enrolled in is the best person to advise you on this issue.

Nonetheless, let’s say you’re intent on learning more.

If this is the case, you can either give your child some practise test questions (like the ones provided below) or conduct a full diagnostic assessment of his or her academic knowledge and understanding to determine where he or she stands academically.

It Matters How We Think About Math

Students of all ages, including adults, often struggle with math.

Unlike elementary school mathematics, which focuses on concrete skills like problem solving, pattern recognition, recognising shapes in one’s environment, and counting, middle school and high school mathematics tends to be more conceptual.

The emphasis on memorisation and solving equations in books, such as arithmetic and times tables, can be tedious and give students the impression that math is irrelevant to their everyday lives.

The vast majority of students agree that the subject of mathematics is boring.

It’s possible that they have no idea why they need to know algebra, geometry, or calculus.

They may also wonder why they have to use pencil and paper to perform basic arithmetic operations like adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing when they can just as easily use a calculator or computer to find the answers.

The answer to this final point can be divided into three sections.

One, you might not always have access to a calculator; two, it’s always better to know how and why something is done on your own; and three, doing math is a great way to exercise your brain and improve your working memory.

While the other reasons are all valid, the first one is the most crucial.

Numbers are omnipresent, making fluency in working with them a highly desirable skill.

Being good with numbers is an asset in many fields, from carpentry and retail to astronomy and railway timekeeping.

However, mathematical possibilities are far wider than those explored in arithmetic.

In order to solve multi-step word problems, for instance, it is important to first identify the specific problem at hand, then select an appropriate strategy to address it (there may be more than one), and finally implement the necessary steps in the correct order.

The basics of mathematics, such as those that can be performed by a calculator, are easier to learn.

Children are often asked to show their work when completing math homework or submitting answers on math tests.

That’s why this is a good example of why.

Teachers may be more interested in recognising students for doing a good job than for getting the right answer in some situations.

That’s because long-form, handwritten work is the best way to spot “math thinking” on the part of students, and teachers.

Children who are exceptionally bright and can solve a problem intuitively without first analysing their thought process may be treated unfairly by this method, as may children who have difficulty writing by hand.

Teaching well requires first and foremost an understanding of each student’s strengths and areas for improvement.

Who Struggles With Maths?

Learners With Maths Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the psychological factors that has been shown to significantly affect a student’s performance in mathematics.

Physical symptoms of anxiety, such as increased heart rate, palpitations, and perspiration, are a direct result of the chemical reaction that occurs in the brain during times of stress. The anxious state is the result of a neurochemical reaction in the brain, not just a mental state of being worried.

Normal academic performance can grind to a halt in the face of math test anxiety for otherwise capable students.

It’s possible that they’ll have trouble getting started on a problem, misinterpret the questions, or complete far fewer problems than they’re capable of.

Furthermore, many stressed-out students make careless mistakes as a direct result of their anxiety.

Students’ performance during timed assessments tends to be lower than it is during other classroom activities or homework completed at home.

Math anxiety can impact students across the entire range of ability, from the most gifted to the least.

However, this almost always leads to lower grades, which can be damaging to a student’s self-esteem.

If a student’s grades don’t reflect their actual level of knowledge and ability, they may become disheartened and lose interest in learning.

In extreme cases, a child’s anxiety may cause them to avoid math and develop a general distaste for school and education. Either of these would be bad for the kid’s education.

Keep in mind that some students learn their aversion to and discomfort with mathematics from their parents.

Effects on students who come to view mathematics as unimportant or who think it’s fine to set lower standards for themselves when completing mathematics assignments at school are possible.

It’s important to remember that some students’ math anxiety stems from a pattern of underachievement that may be traced back to an underlying learning or motor skills difficulty or a gap in the student’s learning history that has gone unaddressed.

Children With Dyscalculia

Students with dyscalculia have a hard time memorising math facts and often struggle with even the simplest mathematical procedures. Furthermore, it is possible that it took them longer to master counting than their contemporaries because they were younger.

Students with dyscalculia may have difficulty with number sense, including reading clocks, judging sizes, and recognising mathematical symbols, as well as estimating quantities and making sense of spatial relationships.

It is also not unusual for dyscalculia to co-occur with other learning differences, such as dyslexia or attention issues.

Calculators are a good example of a suitable adaptation, which is a helpful hint.

Dyscalculic students may need to use a calculator to help them work through problems in mathematics because they may struggle to perform basic arithmetic operations such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing accurately.

Students Who Struggle with Reading

Because their brains work differently, people with dyslexia are more likely to reverse the order of numbers, confuse the shapes of letters and numbers, or invert the numbers themselves.

If a student is asked to copy a multi-digit number from one line to another, for example, he or she might accidentally omit or insert a digit.

Dyslexia can make it difficult for a child to process written language because it affects the child’s ability to hear the individual sounds that comprise words.

This makes reading more challenging and may hinder the ability to understand word problems.

Students with dyslexia often need to read passages more than once to get the full meaning, and they often lose their place on handouts because of this. It may take them more time than average to get past the initial stages of understanding a prompt.

They’ll have less time to do the math required to solve the problem as a direct result of this.

Struggling to help your child in learning Maths? Dr Study has a team of experienced and qualified tutors who can work with your child to improve their skills and understanding.

People who struggle with dyspraxia

Dyspraxia can impair the ability to use a pen or pencil correctly.

Because most long-form mathematics is completed by hand, students who struggle with dyspraxia may also find it challenging to demonstrate the steps they took to arrive at an answer.

Since it is so easy for them to become sidetracked or frustrated while writing, they are more likely to give up or abandon a question before they have a chance to solve it.

Dyspraxia can also have a negative effect on one’s capacity for planning and organisation.

Students with dyspraxia may have trouble getting started on projects because finding solutions to more complex problems requires careful planning.

They may also struggle to follow the logical steps and correct order of operations involved in the mathematical process.

People who struggle with dyspraxia

Dyspraxia can impair the ability to use a pen or pencil correctly. Because most long-form mathematics is completed by hand, students who struggle with dyspraxia may also find it challenging to demonstrate the steps they took to arrive at an answer.

Since it is so easy for them to become sidetracked or frustrated while writing, they are more likely to give up or abandon a question before they have a chance to solve it.

Dyspraxia can also have a negative effect on one’s capacity for planning and organisation. Students with dyspraxia may have trouble getting started on projects because finding solutions to more complex problems requires careful planning.

They may also struggle to follow the logical steps and correct order of operations involved in the mathematical process.

Students who struggle with dysgraphia

One of the most crucial steps in solving a mathematical problem is writing down your reasoning as you go.

Working in stages is permitted because doing multiple calculations in your head uses up precious mental energy and raises the risk of an error.

Students with dysgraphia, however, may have trouble putting their “maths thinking” into written form. When taking notes, students with dysgraphia may have trouble writing out numbers and symbols, organising numbers in a spatial manner, and copying text from the whiteboard.

Even if the approach they took was correct, the quality of their writing could cause them to draw the wrong conclusion because it would be difficult to read. Learn more about dysgraphia by doing some research.

Individuals Who Suffer From Disorders In Their Visual Processing

Mathematical problems requiring spatial reasoning can be challenging for students with visual processing difficulties.

Geometry, reading tables and maps, and number recognition and discrimination are all examples of such problems.

Learn more about the various visual processing disorders.

For children who struggle with its concepts, mathematics can live up to its reputation as a difficult subject.

The fact that your child is struggling in math shouldn’t make you feel any less normal, though.

If your child is having trouble with mathematics, this post will give you some tips for helping them succeed. If you’re interested in learning more, read on!

How to Support Your Children in Math

Here are some ways to help your child develop into a math prodigy, even if he or she is currently terrified of the subject.

Try not to admit that you are terrible at math. Keep a Good Attitude!

It’s the piece of guidance that’s most likely to make a significant difference in your kid’s life.

Do not offer comforting words like “I was just like you when it came to math” or any variation thereof. Somewhat counterintuitively, studies have shown that neither “math people” nor “not math people” actually exist.

Though you may feel this way now, avoiding negative messages about math is a great way to ensure that your math anxiety does not get passed on to your children.

Avoid media like movies and TV shows that portray mathematics negatively.

As an alternative, you could emphasise the difficulties and effort required by saying things like, “I understand how tough this circumstance is on you. It was difficult for me as well, or “Don’t fret if you feel like completing math problems is more time-consuming than some of your other assignments.”

Maybe you don’t get it yet, but I’m confident that we can figure it out together.”

Discuss any and all mathematical topics

If you want to have a mathematical discussion with someone, you don’t need to run a complex statistical analysis or argue about which equation best models a phenomenon.

Mathematical discussions can be as simple as speculating on building heights or counting clouds.

For younger children, this is especially crucial because they need to be able to relax even when thinking about mathematics and see it as an integral part of the world around them.

Regardless of the topic at hand, always look for opportunities to introduce mathematical concepts in a way that is age-appropriate for your child.

• When added together, how many are there? What would the total be if I were to buy another one?
• Can you imagine what it would look like if it were halved?
• In what ways can I make sure that everyone gets an even break?
• How do you anticipate this trend changing in the years ahead?
• How likely is it that something like that would occur?
• How could you make that any obtuse? (The very nature of mathematics is to abstract concrete ideas through analysis.)
• What’s your projected card count?

Find other ways to incorporate mathematics into your child’s experiences and conversations if you’re not confident discussing the subject with them.

You could hang posters that relate to mathematics near where your child typically studies, or you could watch movies and TV shows that involve mathematics together (such as the former television show Numb3rs on CBS, which was aimed at older students).

Position this time as an opportunity for children to investigate any mathematical question that piques their interest

The vast majority of teachers have yearly goals that they must meet.

This can be discouraging or frustrating for students who are interested in exploring a different subfield of mathematics but don’t have the time to do so.

Despite the significance of assessments and benchmarks, you shouldn’t fret over whether or not your child’s enquiry is too simple, too complex, or even on topic.

Remember that mathematics is a powerful tool that can be used to solve almost any problem.

If you want to say, “You should already know this by now,” “That sounds way too hard,” or “That doesn’t matter,” stop yourself. Instead, refer the student to the classroom instructor or to math educators who are actively engaged in social media. How would they go about solving this problem, though?

You should also look for ways to connect math to your child’s interests.

Do they have any issues when they’re around pets? Encourage them to learn more about issues like animal care, zoo population, and animal acquisition costs.

Do they like seeing fire engines? We need to know how much they weigh and how much water they can pump out in a minute right away. What about video games and sports played on screens? Having them keep track of their findings in a chart or table is a great challenge.

Have your kid instruct you in mathematical concepts

Teaching others is a great way to expand your own knowledge base. You can ask any professor about this.

Most people would agree that when explaining something to another person, even if it’s something “simple” that they thought they understood thoroughly, they end up having to review and possibly reorganise their understanding of the topic.

This holds true even if they insist that they have a thorough understanding of the topic at hand.

So, if your kids ask you a question and you don’t know the answer, tell them you’re at a loss for words too and encourage them to research the topic until they can try to explain it to you.

If they can only help you a little, perhaps they will give you some ideas that will allow you to pick up where they left off.

Put an end to the practise known as “drill and kill.”

Those of us who recall happily solving sheets full of timed multiplication problems may have a skewed idea of what it means to be mathematically competent.

There’s evidence to suggest this is what first made you nervous about math.

Standards, benchmarks, and evaluations are in fact implemented at the state level.

However, they are not the core of mathematical study. Fast arithmetic is like a blunt hammer compared to the sophisticated and versatile resource that mathematics offers.

Look for tasks and challenges where math is just one part of the solution.

Games and puzzles where mathematical concepts are presented in the form of a code to be cracked or a grid to be filled in could also prove useful.

Count the beats of the music and look for patterns of addition and multiplication in the dance moves to improve your dancing. Math should not be a boring subject where students sit at desks and do the same exercises over and over again, but rather an engaging and exciting activity.

Dr Study provides an early childhood program that is tailored to each child’s needs. We make sure that kids enjoy their start to formal education while also building confidence and a love of learning.

As a result of the difficulty and frustration involved in learning something new, many students give up on the endeavour before the concept has even become second nature to them.

However, if your child is having trouble understanding mathematical concepts, there are things you can do to help.

In this article, we’ll answer some of the most common concerns parents have about their children’s math performance and offer some suggestions for how to best support their efforts in school.

If your child is having trouble with mathematics, we hope that this blog post will help you figure out what to do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The most pivotal information here is advice for parents on how to foster their child’s mathematical development. Knowing what their child should know and be able to do in mathematics at a given grade level can help parents determine if their child is falling behind in the subject. In addition, they need to determine their child’s academic standing by conducting a thorough diagnostic assessment of their child’s knowledge and understanding. Finally, keep in mind that math is an excellent way to train your brain and boost your working memory. The text focuses primarily on the ways in which a student’s emotions, like worry, can hinder their math performance.

Stress causes a chemical reaction in the brain that can lead to anxiety, which in turn can cause poor performance in school and careless mistakes. Math anxiety is detrimental to academic performance and can affect students across the entire spectrum of ability, from the most gifted to the least. When teaching mathematics, teachers need to be aware of their students’ individual strengths and areas for growth.

A distaste for school and learning in general is a common symptom of the learning disability dyscalculia. The root of the problem is an unaddressed learning or motor skills difficulty or a void in the student’s prior academic experience. It often occurs in tandem with other forms of learning disability, such as dyslexia or attention problems. Students with dyscalculia may benefit from using a calculator when solving math problems, as they may have difficulty with basic arithmetic operations like adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing without assistance. As a result, reading can be more of a struggle, and solving word problems can be more of a challenge for children with dyslexia.

Writing down one’s thought process or showing how one arrived at a solution can be difficult for people with dyspraxia. It may also impair one’s ability to plan and organise, making it more challenging to initiate tasks and stick to the sequence of operations that is essential in mathematics. Students with dyslexia may need to read text more than once to grasp its meaning, frequently lose their place on written materials, and need more time to complete mathematical calculations. A person with dysgraphia may struggle to write out mathematical symbols and numbers.

The most pivotal information here is advice for teachers and parents to aid students with visual processing difficulties in mathematics. Maintaining a positive outlook, avoiding messages that discourage mathematical pursuits, stressing the importance of hard work, and discussing any and all mathematical topics are all recommended. Children who are afraid of mathematics now may overcome their fear with the help of these strategies.

Teaching younger children requires a careful consideration of how to introduce mathematical concepts in a way that is developmentally appropriate for them. Some examples of such enquiries are “how many,” “what would the total be if it were halved,” “how do you anticipate this trend changing in the years ahead,” and “how likely is something like that to occur?” In what way could you possibly obfuscate that? Your predicted card count? Encourage your child to explore any mathematical question that interests them, watch movies and TV shows that feature mathematics, and put up posters about mathematics in the room where they do most of their studying to help remind them of the subject.

Also, consider incorporating topics like zoo population and animal acquisition costs as a way to relate math to their passion for animals. One of the best ways to increase one’s own knowledge is to share it with others, and the practise commonly known as “drill and kill” must be stopped. In addition, state-level implementation of standards, benchmarks, and evaluations is unnecessary because they are peripheral to the study of mathematics. Rather than being a dull chore, learning mathematics should be a fun and exciting challenge. Playing games and puzzles, counting the beats of music, and looking for patterns of addition and multiplication in dance moves are all great ways for parents to help their children develop a love of and facility with mathematics.

Content Summary

• There are ways to help your child, and you are not alone among parents in this predicament.
• In this post, I’ll discuss some of the most effective strategies you can use to encourage your child’s growth in mathematics.
• To figure out if your child is struggling with mathematics and which specific topics they are struggling with, you will need to know what they are expected to know and be able to do at that stage in their education.
• The basics of mathematics, such as those that can be performed by a calculator, are easier to learn.
• Children are often asked to show their work when completing math homework or submitting answers on math tests.
• That’s because long-form, handwritten work is the best way to spot “math thinking” on the part of students, and teachers.
• Teaching well requires first and foremost an understanding of each student’s strengths and areas for improvement.
• In extreme cases, a child’s anxiety may cause them to avoid math and develop a general distaste for school and education.
• Either of these would be bad for the kid’s education.
• Keep in mind that some students learn their aversion to and discomfort with mathematics from their parents.
• It’s important to remember that some students’ math anxiety stems from a pattern of underachievement that may be traced back to an underlying learning or motor skills difficulty or a gap in the student’s learning history that has gone unaddressed.
• Students with dyslexia often need to read passages more than once to get the full meaning, and they often lose their place on handouts because of this.
• It may take them more time than average to get past the initial stages of understanding a prompt.
• They’ll have less time to do the math required to solve the problem as a direct result of this.
• Dyspraxia can impair the ability to use a pen or pencil correctly.
• Dyspraxia can also have a negative effect on one’s capacity for planning and organisation.
• Students with dyspraxia may have trouble getting started on projects because finding solutions to more complex problems requires careful planning.
• One of the most crucial steps in solving a mathematical problem is writing down your reasoning as you go.
• Learn more about dysgraphia by doing some research.
• Learn more about the various visual processing disorders.
• If your child is having trouble with mathematics, this post will give you some tips for helping them succeed.
• Try not to admit that you are terrible at math.
• Though you may feel this way now, avoiding negative messages about math is a great way to ensure that your math anxiety does not get passed on to your children.
• Avoid media like movies and TV shows that portray mathematics negatively.
• Regardless of the topic at hand, always look for opportunities to introduce mathematical concepts in a way that is age-appropriate for your child.
• Find other ways to incorporate mathematics into your child’s experiences and conversations if you’re not confident discussing the subject with them.
• Having them keep track of their findings in a chart or table is a great challenge.
• Have your kid instruct you in mathematical conceptsTeaching others is a great way to expand your own knowledge base.
• This holds true even if they insist that they have a thorough understanding of the topic at hand.
• So, if your kids ask you a question and you don’t know the answer, tell them you’re at a loss for words too and encourage them to research the topic until they can try to explain it to you.
• Put an end to the practise known as “drill and kill.
• However, they are not the core of mathematical study.
• Look for tasks and challenges where math is just one part of the solution.
• However, if your child is having trouble understanding mathematical concepts, there are things you can do to help.
• In this article, we’ll answer some of the most common concerns parents have about their children’s math performance and offer some suggestions for how to best support their efforts in school.
• If your child is having trouble with mathematics, we hope that this blog post will help you figure out what to do.

Author

Dr. Olga Abeysekera

Dr Olga Abeysekera, founder of Dr Study Tutoring and the Dr Progress Group Pty Ltd, is passionate about transforming education through innovative and personalised tutoring. With a PhD in Management from Monash University and a background in both academic research and private tutoring, she has a deep commitment to helping students excel.
Her holistic approach at Dr Study Tutoring emphasises not only academic success but also the development of lifelong skills, ensuring that each student receives the best education and support possible. Dr Olga’s dedication to continuous improvement drives her mission to inspire a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.

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