Guides for parents
Short, practical answers for parents of Australian primary-school children. Each guide answers one question and links to a free Skill Check if you want to see where your child is. Written by the BrightHop team; these are BrightHop’s own teaching approach, not official curriculum guidance.
How to help
How do I know what maths skill my child should learn next?
How to choose the next maths skill for a primary-school child by following prerequisites backwards from where they are stuck.
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How to find gaps in your child's maths knowledge
A practical way for parents of Australian primary-school children to find the specific maths skill that is missing, instead of guessing from a score.
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How to help a Year 2 child with maths at home
Practical, low-pressure ways to support a Year 2 child with maths at home, including what to check first and what to avoid.
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Why can my child add, but not solve missing-number questions like ? + 5 = 12?
Why a Year 1–2 child can do 7 + 5 but not ? + 5 = 12, the mistakes to look for, and how to teach the part-part-whole idea behind it.
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What it means
More practice isn't always the answer: find the prerequisite skill first
Why extra practice does not always help a child who is stuck in maths, and how to find and teach the prerequisite skill that is really the problem.
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Number bonds: what they are and why they matter
What number bonds are, why pairs that make 10 matter for Year 1 and Year 2 maths, common mistakes, and how to practise them at home.
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What is a maths learning gap?
A plain-English definition of a maths learning gap, how it differs from a careless mistake or a slow start, and how it is found and closed.
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What is diagnostic assessment in primary-school maths?
What diagnostic assessment is, how it differs from tests and quizzes, and what a parent can learn from a short diagnostic check.
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Comparisons
BrightHop vs worksheets: what is the difference, and when is each useful?
A fair comparison of BrightHop's check, teach and retest approach with printed or downloadable maths worksheets, including where worksheets are the better choice.
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Diagnostic assessment vs ordinary maths quizzes: what is the difference?
How a diagnostic check differs from an ordinary maths quiz in purpose, design and what you get back, and when each is useful.
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