Key Stage 2 Maths – Teaching Resources

Key Stage 2 Maths – Teaching Resources

Article by Kaye McArdle

There are numerous websites available on the internet to support teachers, schools, tutors and parents. They can use these websites for a range of resources in order to educate their children; such as,

Maths sums Literacy skills Games Puzzles Lesson plansFact sheetsVideosSpellingsActivities

However, KeyStageTwo.com is a ‘one-stop-shop’ for everything KeyStageTwo!

KS2 is the abbreviated term for the Key Stage 2 of the compulsory schooling system in the United Kingdom. Under this system, key stages are the different phases during student life created on the basis of the learning levels, categorisation of teaching topics and teaching resources to be used. The four distinct stages are Key Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Key Stage 1: Ages 5-7 (Years 1-2) Key Stage 2: Ages 7-11 (Years 3-6) Key Stage 3: Ages 11-14 (Years 7-9) Key Stage 4: Ages 14-16 (Years 10-11)

At Key Stages 1 and 2, there are a number of core and foundation subjects that all children will learn.The Core subjects are Maths, English and Science.

As the pupils progress, they start to learn other subjects such as Technology and Design and ICT (Information and Communication Technology), Geography, Art, Music, PE and History.

Schools also have a duty by law to teach Religious Education, but it is not a necessity for children to attend these classes if parents decide not to include them in these lessons. Schools are also advised to teach personal, social and health education (PSHE), citizenship, and at least one modern foreign language.

The subjects commonly taught at the KS2 are English, Maths, History, Geography, Science, Languages, Art, PSHE and citizenship. For teachers, KS2 can be both fun as well as challenging. It is fun since children are involved but the challenge lies in the fact that you would be following a National Curriculum where at the end of KS2 the children would be accessed through a timed examination (KS2 SATS). The way they perform would show how well they have been taught from standard 2-6.

KS2 involves using various kinds of teaching resources so that the learning process becomes student centric, interesting and developmental. Some of the most popular and effective resources are presentations, games, quizzes, activities, worksheets, flashcards, interactive blackboard exercises, etc. Colourful, informative and interactive presentations or worksheets can be used while addressing an assembly on theoretical knowledge about a topic or instructing about how to go about doing something, e.g. writing poems.

Creativity thought out activities also goes a long way in making learning interesting. For example, assigning students to be tree detectives and chalk out an activity so that they learn about all tree details. Provide the world map as a puzzle and let them fix it. Games like hangman are very useful in word construction. Showing a set of informative flashcards and asking the associated information is one of the best memorizing techniques and can be used extensively in case of subjects like Science and History. There are various activities on KeyStageTwo, or that can be created which teachers, parents and tutors may use for KS2. The best strategy for teachers is to plan the lesson well regarding what is to be taught, creatively assess what kind of resource would suit the students best, view the resources or create them, use them effectively and regularly monitor progress and evaluate progress of the pupils, using KeyStageTwo.com

Key Stage Two.com is compliant with The National Curriculum, which is a framework used by all maintained schools to ensure that teaching and learning is equal and consistent.It defines:

-The list of subjects to be taught-The understanding, skills and knowledge required for each subject-Standards or achievement targets in each subject, (SATs) – teachers can use these results to track a pupils progress and plan the next steps in their education-How a pupil’s progress is assessed and reported.

Whilst staying within the context of the National Curriculum, schools are permitted to plan and organise teaching and education in a way that best meets the needs of their pupils.

Key Stage Two.com – The only resource you’ll need!

If your child is aged between 7 and 11 why not join http://www.keystagetwo.com It is a virtual learning environment that successfully manages to combine fun games with education, whilst concentrating on the subjects your child is learning in school to help boost their grades in a fun and engaging way. KeyStageTwo.com is National Curriculum compliant and is now being used in schools and homes throughout Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales.

Now taking sign-ups for November 2011 at http://www.keystagetwo.com or try the Demo at http://www.keystagetwo.com/demo

About the Author

http://www.KeyStageTwo.com