How to Use Story-Telling Techniques for Elementary Math Tutoring

Let is not sugar-coat it. Most kids are terrified of math. They tend to struggle with calculations and often give up thinking they’re just not good at it. While English and Science teachers have several ways through which they can make their subjects interesting for students, Elementary Math teachers have it extremely hard, especially when kids carry a pre-conceived notion that math is scary. But it doesn’t have to be.

One way to generate excitement in students is to use story-telling techniques to ensure that they perform better at elementary math.

Everything has a simple explanation

Many elementary math problems include something along the lines of, ‘Jack had three apples, he gave one to his friend, so how many does he have?’ The idea behind such problems is to get kids to understand things by breaking them down in a simple manner. For instance, if there’s an elementary math problem with multiple steps and solutions, kids who aren’t well-versed with multi-step equations can easily get frustrated in a matter of minutes. Explaining the problem to them in an easy-to-understand manner will make it easier for them to find a solution. The explanation must entail each step of the problem, its solution, and how it impacts the rest of the problem as a whole.

Working in groups and discussing problems make it easier to solve them

Kids who work in small groups can discuss the steps in the solution of a problem. They can ask each other questions and clarify their ideas to help each other better understand the problem. You can ask them to explain the problem in the simplest of manners so that younger children can understand them too. Creating their own simple explanations and sharing them with other kids not only enables them to look at problems in the simplest of ways, but also enables them to communicate their understanding of the same with others. This in turn helps them break down the problem and look at it in a different way, thereby making it easier to find a solution.

Turn the problem into a story

Elementary math problems already come with real-life connections and stories. However, not all problems are as simple as Jack having a few apples and sharing them with his friend. Some problems use activities like landscaping to find the area of a plot of land, while others use discounts on electrical equipment to find its purchase price – things that aren’t exactly exciting to students at that age.

Teaching them to look at the same problem in a different light might help you get their attention. For instance, instead of discounts on laptops and computers, you could ask them to calculate the purchase price of their favorite toy after deducting the 20% discount on its cost price. Teaching kids to make problems more relatable to their own lives will make it easier for them to find a solution, and thereby help them develop a better understanding of elementary math.

While most kids are intimidated by math and that fear only grows stronger as they get older, it is crucial to get them to understand elementary math and develop a liking for the subject early on. The importance of math cannot be understated, especially for those who wish to pursue a STEM career. Introducing your kid to math at an early age can open the door to many possibilities later in their lives, making math a crucial subject for them at school and beyond.