Maths methods

Key Stage 1: Year 1 and Year 2

Maths methods and strategies taught in school now are very different from
those that many parents learned at school. This can often cause confusion
when parents are trying to support their child at home.

This document shows the main methods and vocabulary taught in each year
group for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Each childs
progress is different but most children will acquire these methods by the end of
their year.


Practical activities using pictures and practical resources (e.g.
counters, blocks).



Partitioning 14 10 + 4 (14 splits to 10 and 4)

Arrow Cards are used in school to partition:



22 splits to give 20 and 2


Using number line/ tracks for addition:

14 + 3



Start at 14, jump on in ones three times
So the answer is 17

14 + 3 = 17



YEAR 1: Addition
Vocabulary:
+, add, more, plus, make, sum, total, altogether, score, double, one more,
two more, ten more, how many more to make? how many more is
than? how much more is?

Practical rather than written, using 100 square.

Horizontal addition

Eg: 72 + 23



(70 + 20) + (2 + 3)
90 + 5
95

Collect the tens together

70 + 20 = 90

Then collect the units together

2 + 3 =5

Find the total 90+ 5 =95

Using number line for TU + TU

72 + 23




Start at 72 Jump forward in tens twice (23=20+3) then jump
forward in ones three times.
YEAR 2: Addition
Vocabulary:
add, addition, more, plus make, sum, total altogether, score, double,
near double, one more, two more... ten more... one hundred more, how
many more to make? how many more is than? how much more
is?
Children use lots of practical activities

Subtraction as take away

7 3 = 4


Using objects (e.g.
counters, blocks
etc.) or draw and
cross out.


Using a number line for 7 3 (starting with a printed number
line, then moving to a blank one)

Start at 7, jump back in ones three times
7-3=4

Same for TU U using number line
24-6

24-6=18

Subtraction as finding the difference.



Difference = 3
YEAR 1: Subtraction
Vocabulary:
subtract, take (away), minus, leave, how many are left/left over? how many
have gone? one less, two less, ten less how many fewer is than?
how much less is? difference between, equals sign, is the same as.
Use practical apparatus (e.g.
counters, blocks etc.) to
demonstrate the difference.
Continuing as lots of practical activities, as for Year 1.

Subtraction as take away.

Partitioning 73 21



Subtract the tens 70 20 = 50
then the units 3 1 = 2

Number line 73 21



73 21 = 52

Start at 73 Jump back in tens twice. Then jump back in
ones once.

Subtraction as finding the difference (for numbers which are
close together)

73 62


73 62 = 11

Start at 62. Jump 10 to 72 then 1 unit to 73.
Total jumps = 10 + 1 = 11
YEAR 2: Subtraction
Vocabulary:
subtract, take (away), minus, leave, how many are left/left over? how many
have gone? one less, two less, ten less, how many fewer is than?
how much less is? difference between, equals sign, is the same as.
Partitioning the tens and
units: putting the tens on
top of the petal and the units
underneath.
Practical

X2 x5 x10

Sequences counting aloud in jumps of 2:

2, 4, 6, 8, 10 .
5, 10, 15, 20, 25 .
10, 20, 30, 40 .


Repeated addition using hands or apparatus or diagrams.

3 x 5







Using a number line for jumps of 2, 5, 10

5 x 2



5 x 2 = 10
YEAR 1: Multiplication
Vocabulary:
Lots of, groups of, multiply, times, add, steps of, jumps of
x2 x5 x10

Arrays

3 x 5 5 x 3



3 rows of 5 or
5 rows of 3

Multiplication as repeated addition
3 x 5




Continuing to use Number lines


4 x 5
4 Jumps of 5




4 x 5 =20
YEAR 2: Multiplication
Vocabulary:
lots of, groups of , times, multiply, twice, three times ten times, times as
(big, long, wide and so on), repeated addition, array, row, column,
double.

Lots of practical problems using counters, blocks and sharing
out.


Share 10 sweets between 2 children




Each child has 5 sweets.



How many groups of 5 bananas could you make with 10
bananas?




=
2 groups


10 bananas gives two groups of 5 bananas.
YEAR 1: Division
Vocabulary:
share, share equally, groups of, divide, how many groups?

Practical division as in Year 1

Division using a number line;

20 5 = 4

Repeated subtraction



Start at 20
Jump back in 5s to 0
The number of jumps gives the answer
4 jumps

20 5 = 4

With remainders - sharing using practical apparatus

Share 14 cubes between 4 children



Each person gets 3 cubes and there are 2 left over.

14 4 = 3 remainder 2

YEAR 2: Division
Vocabulary:
Halve, share, share equally, one each, two each, three each group in
pairs, threes tens, equal groups of, divide, divided by, divided into, left,
left over