Engaging children in maths can be a challenge for teachers in early years and KS1 – hurrah, then, for Mathseeds, a dynamic set of online lessons and activities that are sure to engage the most reluctant mathematicians.
From the minute a pupil logs on to their account, they are able to choose from a wide selection of well-structured, activities and lessons that teach mathematical concepts direct from the EYFS Framework and KS1 curriculum.
These are all easy to navigate, even for the youngest of learners, thanks to a child-friendly interface. I particularly like how children don’t need to read any instructions themselves – instead these are read aloud, or visual hints are provided to help them get started.
The mathematical content in Mathseeds is of a high quality. Each concept is taught in depth with multiple opportunities provided to practise skills or gain knowledge.
For example, in a task based around recognising 2D shapes, children will complete several engaging games, each with a different approach to teaching how to recognise a circle and its properties.
At the end of the lesson there’s an interactive e-book to read about circles in real-life situations. This was a nice touch that links in reading skills and gives further examples of how circles are used in the wider world.
Similarly, in a number activity, children are not only taught to recognise numerals, but also visual representations and numbers written as words, adding breadth to their understanding of quantity and number.
In addition to the pupil area, Mathseeds has a well-presented and easily navigated teacher’s section. Here, assignments can be set and completed ones reviewed, with tables and charts detailing the performance and progress of each pupil in the class.
One of the things that really sold this product to me was when it came to setting pupils a task. It’s only after completing their assignments that pupils can choose from the wider range of games available. This will ensure all of your class completes the task set and means children have an incentive to do so.
The assignments can be set to be completed in school or at home and with Mathseeds available on a range of devices there are no excuses when it comes to homework!
Mathseeds has been designed to be engaging and it will quickly get children learning without them realising they are even doing so.
I think boys will enjoy the variety of activities, in particular, and the way teachers can easily set tasks and monitor learning means Mathseeds will slot easily into a busy timetable without adding to your workload.
You’re looking for an easy-to-use, web-based maths resource to supplement your maths teaching that will inspire the most reluctant of learners.
Click here for your free Mathseeds trial.
Reviewed by John Dabell
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