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Numbershark is
most often used by
students between 6 and
15. Most games are
appropriate for any age
although a few of the
games are more suitable
for younger children.
Older students, with
reasonable number
skills, use Numbershark
to improve their mental
maths - sometimes before
exams.
The program addresses
many of the difficulties
which lead students to
dislike maths. These
include poor short term
memory, limited
attention span and poor
sequencing skills.
To help those with
dyslexia and
dyscalculia, many
of the games give a
visual idea of what is
happening when you add,
subtract, multiply or
divide. Fractions and
decimals are also shown
visually. Variable
speeds and other options
meet all grades of
skill.
Most games have no
time limit so students
have space to work out
their number strategy
and to build confidence.
At
Home:
Numbershark can
either be used directly
to support what is being
learnt in school or used
independently to gain
confidence in number
bonds and tables and
number operations where
there are gaps in
knowledge.
Parents should always
follow the progress of
their children and
encourage them to try a
variety of games and to
progress through the
number topics.
There is a special
chapter in the manual
which sets out ideas for
using the program at
home.
It is recommended
that the sessions are
short but frequent as
this not only maintains
the child’s interest
but gives the necessary
practice needed for
success.
There are no hard and
fast rules, but
generally, three or four
short sessions a week
(about 10-15 minutes
each) seem to work
really well to achieve
significant gains.
It is good to be
aware that some children
need to go over what
seems to be very basic
work before moving on in
order to make real
progress. Equally, some
children need to be
encouraged to move on.
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