Thanks Heidi i am a worry wort i think it is because i know she is quite a bit behind, she was also a late talker she didn't speak until she was 2 and half by 3 only people who knew her could understand her 3 and half a little better, even now she is very lazy in her speech. She says cut instead of put says sentences back to front. I have read to her from the age of 18mths to help her with her speech and now to try and help her with her english. I point out the words and say what is that like the, and, it etc sometimes she will see the word and then on the next page it will be there again and she can't remember it so i remind her. With her spellings if she spells them out loud she gets them right if she writes them down she gets them wrong very strange. I know something isn't right but i don't know what my instinct is telling me, she is my 3rd child out of 4 and i have had nothing like this with my others, my youngest is 18mths and she knows more words now than Melissa did at 2 and half. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism after Melissa was born i am wondering wether i was borderline when pregnant with her and i know undiagnosed hypothyroidism whilst pregnant isn't good for babies development brain wise, it can lead to learning difficulties which i feel she may have. I know they will pick it up soon, she is in the bottom group that gets extra help, she is one of five in the group she was the only girl but now there are 2 more girls and 2 boys as well as herself, i will give it a couple of weeks for the teacher to assess them and then have a word they will know where she is at by then. Thanks again. Sharon x

Other maths games we do in class include

Bingo

Dominoes - numbers/fractions/colours

When learning tables, using counters/blocks/anything and showing the numbers in groups so that children can physically see why 2 x 5 is 10.  If they see two groups, each with 5 things in, it makes more sense.

then 5 groups of 2, gives the same answer

Do this with the tables your child is learning.  Get them to make up the groups and recite the tables at the same time

So, 2 groups of 5 things = 10

5 groups of 2 things = 5.

4 groups of 5 things  is 20, so 5 groups of 4 things is 20

Another excellent way for children to learn maths (and english) are the numberous education sites on line with free access.  Playing games means they are learnin without realising they are doing maths, its just fun.   My son started at 2 with computer educational games, and he is excellent with maths now and I am convinced it was the computer software that helped him.  We used the Jump Ahead series.  He still loves it now (but not when his friends come round)

There are also lots of good english games.  The BBC offers everything you could ever need

Also, the children will be grouped within the classroom, and working with the teacher on the level of ability they can cope with, so she wont be expected to do stuff she is not able to do.  Some children do take a long time.  I have been working with a boy who has really struggled with everything (at the end of Y2 he would be labelled as "W" on the SATS", and just this week he has clicked with a few things.  

SOme schools (differnt countries) dont start teaching children until they are 7 because they dont think its good for them to be taught as young as the UK, and they are more advanced at 11 than their peers from other schools, so dont despair!

DOnt worry yourself about it, the school will work at the pace your child is able to cope with.

THe newsletter will be a standard letter, advising what the national expectations of the children are at the end of the year, some children will reach them, others wont.  Dont start fretting and getting anxious because this wont help your child.

the 100 words are the most common words used in the English language, and if children can recognise them, it helps with their reading because other words develop from these basic words.

Same with tables, maths works from the basis of understanding numbers and will develop over time.  I am working with Year 4 kids who dont know their 2x tables, so its not expected that all children will know everything.  Children learn at different paces, just understand and know what and how your child learns and this will help his/her development at his/her own pace.  (Sorry I am generalising because this applies to all parents)

with words, start pointing them out on adverts on bill boards, notice boards, menus, toy adverts, story books etc.  Make it a game and dont emphasise "you have to learn this".

In time, start with THE, and see what other words you can make, use scrabble letters for example. THEM, THEY, THESE, OTHER,

With numbers start off with jump counting, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, up to 50, then 100, and also count backwards

Look at house numbers when you are walking down the road, odds on one side, even on the other.  Practice odd numbers, and again backwards.

Do the same with 10s and 5s,  Do them at your childs pace and encourage but dont push.

Practice "number bonds" 1+9=10 3+7, 4+6 5+5.  Children then learn at pattern that these numbers always add to 10.  then move to 20.  In time, 2+?=10, 6+?=10.  Practice backwards as well as forwards.

Teach your child to recognise letters and numbers.

Play snakes and ladders and other board games where they have to count on with the dice.  

Use 2 dices to add up the numbers

THe more help you can give your child at home, especially if they are "behind" the more it helps in school, because lack of confidence in their own ability is usually the biggest problem.  They dont want to say the answer in case they are wrong.  If children practice at home, it is easier for them at school.

Children need to fully understand the basics of maths and english before they move on to harder stuff, because if they dont, they will struggle throughout school.

I hope some of this helps, but iff you want to ask more questions,  there are plenty of people on here willing to help you

I wish you luck

Heidih

The assessments may be to get them ready for the SATS that they will take at the end of the year and assess what they need to do to prepare the children for them. 

My ds has just started in yr3 and did times tables last yr. He learnt his 2,3,4,5,10, and 6's but if he was asked them now he wouldn't know them all. Don't know about how many key words he knew, but he finished on level 12 reading so must know alot of them.

Hi we always get a newsletter when they go back and it tells parents what the children are going to learn and what they should be able to do. Well i am shocked as it says that by the end of year 1 they should all know 100 key words, my daughter knows 15-20 tops, they are also going to start with times tables my daughter struggles with simple sums i am now panicking she will get left behind. It does say they are going to assess the childrens knowledge in the first few weeks and see where they are, i think i will have a word with the teacher tonight and see if i can have a word. It did say that she is behind in her report, and in their words that she as only made small steps of progress despite trying hard. Is anyone else panicking or is it just me, should i wait and see what happens and see if the teachers realise that she is struggling which i think they will as i think she is still at reception level. Sharon x