How to Help a Child Who’s Struggling with Math

To choose the best solution, it’s best to start by identifying the source of the problem. Your child’s math challenges may be caused by a number of issues:

• General comprehension (e.g., if they can’t explain a rule or instruction to you, it shows they don’t fully understand the concept or what they’re being asked to do)
• Validating calculations (many children make mistakes and lose unnecessary marks)
• Method (a misunderstanding in this area can make solving math word problems difficult)
• Attention span (hunger, fatigue, and boredom can all affect a child’s ability to focus, which makes learning more difficult)
• Reading ability (a child who struggles with reading will have a harder time understanding math word problems)
• Shyness (embarrassment or fear of asking a question in class is often a root cause of a child’s difficulties at school)
• Etc.

Reviewing their notes after school is a great way for your child to commit what they’ve learned to memory. For this reason, you may want to encourage your child to read their class notes out loud on a daily basis. Doing so can help them do the following:

• Study in advance
• Learn small amounts of information gradually
• Come up with mnemonic devices
• Etc.

Sometimes, taking a step back can help you move forward. Ask your child to start with a few easier exercises (the first ones in the chapter they’re currently studying, for instance). This will help reinforce concepts they already know and build a stronger base for learning new ones. To help them get enough practice, you can ask your child to do the following:

• Redo some of the math word problems in their notebook
• Work on Alloprof exercises
• Play games like Météormath to practise basic math operations
• Do any exercises in your child’s notebook that haven’t been done yet
• Etc.

Getting stuck on a problem can be discouraging, especially when the answer just isn’t coming. To help your child stay motivated, encourage them to take short breaks to clear their mind. For instance, after working for a certain amount of time, your child can stop to do the following: 

• Close their eyes and relax
• Read a page or two from their favourite book
• Listen to a song they like
• Do a few push-ups
• Etc.

Is your child working hard, but still not getting the results they’re after? Try not to worry—it may just take a little time to get there! In the meantime, there are a number of things you can do to encourage your child to stay motivated:

• Focus on your child’s efforts and progress, not their grades
• Show your child you’re proud of them by giving them words of encouragement (e.g., “I’m proud of you,” “It’s so great that you never give up”)
• Highlight their achievements
• Teach them that failing isn’t the end of the world
• Etc.