How to Understand Math Effectively

When most people hear the word ‘math,’ the first thing that would probably come to their minds is the long list of numbers and math symbols. Even as adults, their lack of interest in the subject is usually transferred to their children. This hinders the enthusiasm of most children. There is no one-word answer to how to understand math easily. Teachers and parents will have to constantly challenge themselves and find new methods to answer this question and help children.For most people, the first big challenge is to figure out an easy way to learn multiplication. There are many who, in their earlier days, would have struggled to understand how to learn math easily. Apart from those who have genuine learning difficulties, for most, it is a simple matter of shifting the way they think about the subject. When math is approached from a limited perspective, the learning becomes tedious as well. That’s why here are a few tips to help children study math effectively.

Creative Counting

Counting is likely to be the first challenge most children face when beginning to learn math. Most parents limit this activity to a few pictures in books or a few small objects lying around the house. The key here is to think outside the box. Request that your child count the number of steps it takes to get from one point in the house to another. When traveling by car, you can ask them to count the vehicles of a specific color or type. This lays the foundation for effective math learning. Using this technique, you can encourage the child to look beyond the pages of numbers.  The core of the trick is to integrate your surroundings into the exercise.

Innovative Supplementation

Think from the child’s perspective. Every time you use the word “math,” they are asked to sit in front of a book and solve something like “2 + 3 =___” or “8 – 2 =___.” Avoiding this is impossible. However, repetition and monotony make it more of a chore, similar to cleaning the dishes or clearing the garbage. As adults, chores are a necessity, but for a child, repetition may lead to boredom and a sense of detachment. There are times when you may have to memorize formulas and other properties in math. To remedy this situation, present children with games like Bingo or Sudoku ® puzzles from time to time. There are also many variations of the same puzzle available on the internet in the form of books. This motivates them to learn the same lessons in a different way. These exercises open their minds to be more adaptable to different situations.  You’ve probably realized by now that the question isn’t “how to teach mathematics easily.” Rather, it’s about how to present mathematics more creatively. You are right! That’s one way to look at this.

Incentivized Integration

Integrating mathematics as a part of everyday routine is another way to help children study math effectively. Asking children to measure the ingredients while cooking is an easy way to learn multiplication. Sometimes they may have to remove or add a bit of some ingredient, and this exposes them to subtraction and addition. When doing this as a part of a group, children help each other, making it one of the ways to study math effectively. Another way is to include speaking in math. Even when you are in the supermarket, you can ask children to help you calculate the price of the different items. For instance, ask your child to calculate the price of three bags of their favorite potato chips. It is a subtle yet powerful way to apply and study math effectively.

Play and Ponder

Playing a game of hopscotch where the tiles of numbers are the answers to certain questions is another way to study math effectively. This is also an easy way to learn multiplication. There are also online games and platforms that cater to a child’s thirst for novelty. A simple game of throwing darts at a board can be turned into a valuable lesson on understanding addition. For instance, you can ask your child to add the different points that a player gets. A game of catch can turn into a dynamic quizzing session as well. Here, a minimum of three children can throw a ball at each other. The rule is that a child only gets the ball thrown at them if they give the correct answer to the question asked by another child who holds the ball. All you need is a bit of creativity and any dull chapter can be changed into something dynamic and fun!

Music and Rhyme

Another underestimated mode of teaching math to children is using rhyme and rhythm. Children who are inclined toward music will find an appeal to this method of learning. It is an easy way to learn multiplication and also an effective way to study math as well. To make the activity more challenging and creative, children can also try to make their own song or rhyme and share it with others. A simple set of rhymes can go a long way if they are not exactly interested in singing. It is also a great exercise in creativity as you’re indirectly working on pronunciation and vocabulary at the same time. Here’s a simple example of how a rhyme can be used to teach multiplication.

Example: 

“Two times two gives four 

Here’s a few more

Three times three gives nine

Maybe I can find a nice place to dine…”

Drawing and Doodling

Drawing pictorial representations of math concepts is another effective way to study math. The learners should also be asked to create illustrations because this allows them to show their understanding of a concept. Using pictorial representations is not only an easy way to learn multiplication but it can also be used to help children understand it as well. Drawings and doodles can help children connect mathematical operations like addition and multiplication. It can also be used in learning concepts like length, area, and volume as well. 

If you want to read more tips on how to learn math or other articles like this, go to BYJU’S FUTURESCHOOL blog.

References:

1. How to Teach Your Child Math (with Pictures) – wikiHow. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.wikihow.com/Teach-Your-Child-Math 
2. How Do You Teach Math Interestingly?|16 Strategies To Teach Math For Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.playosmo.com/kids-learning/how-do-you-teach-math-interestingly/ 
3. 7 Simple Strategies for Teaching Math to Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.thoughtco.com/strategies-for-teaching-math-to-kids-3128859 
4. Enjoying Maths Through Games, Rhymes and Songs – Teaching Expertise. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/enjoying-maths-through-games-rhymes-and-songs/