Mathematics and physical impairment at P level 7
The issues are similar to P level 6. Patience and time will be required to establish the concepts and to assess understanding.
You can
- Use visual cues with real objects to establish concepts and assess understanding.
- Introduce new vocabulary in different contexts to reinforce common features, so for heavy give examples which show that something heavy doesn’t need to be big. It’s easiest if a child can feel the difference between heavy and light things, even if they need support to hold an object.
- Try sorting shapes on the whiteboard preparing 5 of the 10 to be the same (for example 5 circles), counting them all to 10 and then sort (the circles) into a group of five. Use digits to label each circle from 1-5. Show how the numbers can be put with any circle, as long as there is one number per circle. (This can be done either through a software program or with cut-out shapes and digits blue-tacked to the board.)
- Sing songs which count: such as ‘One, two, three, four, five, once I caught a fish alive’ and ‘One, two’ buckle my shoe’, ‘There were five in a bed’ (A simplification of ‘there were ten in a bed’), ‘Five fat sausages sizzling in a pan’, ‘Five round buns in the baker’s shop’.
- Activities with measuring using water – colouring it helps make it more visible. Use the language of comparison – more, less, heavier, lighter.
- Use the language of forwards and backwards when pushing wheelchairs, so there is an understanding of direction from a child who is not able to move easily by themselves. If a pupil is using a walking frame reinforce the vocabulary of forwards and backwards.
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