Difficulties in learning math for children
Math is one of the most difficult subjects in school. Many kids find the subject extremely challenging, and at first they often do not want to learn it. Math must be learned and problems worked through step by step; if the child makes a mistake in one step, that can change the answer to the math exercise and even can change the whole process of learning math.
As a math teacher or a parent with a child in the first grade, it is important to understand the biggest problems that math presents for children.
- Difficulty computing the problem. A child can fail at math because of difficulty computing the problem. What does this mean? At the beginning, the child may make a mistake that can alter the final answer. Even if they write or calculate the number in the wrong column it can give them an incorrect answer. So, if you want your child to fix this problem and not repeat it, you need to teach him or her the correct way of counting and calculating.
- Conceptual difficulties. In many cases, the core problem that a child has with the math problem is not understanding the key concepts necessary to solve the problem. If you want to help, you must teach all the concepts in the correct way and show your child what they do not understand and where they are making mistakes.
- Algorithmic problems. When children learn math, they may also have some algorithmic difficulties. The math problem can be solved, but children need to understand that they must follow the rules step by step if they want to arrive at the correct answer.
Sometimes, kids can also have difficulties with geometry, but this too can be solved if they follow lessons closely and learn geometric principles step by step. In math, everything builds on what came before. If students learn this from the beginning of their studies, they will have fewer problems with math in the future.
