Stern’s multi-sensory maths programme was designed and developed to meet the needs of all children where possible. The programme provides a challenging and enjoyable hands-on learning experience of numbers and arithmetic. At this stage, children build a secure foundation of number, number concepts and maths vocabulary. Stern is taught in progressive, layered small-steps. Each step learnt is carried forward as ‘the tools’ for a child to use with the next new activity. The foundational knowledge gained underpins a sound understanding of the basic addition and subtraction facts with numbers up to and including 10.
Diagnostic and assessment tools Teachers and parents will observe, assess and provide reinforcement activities where appropriate. This is an obvious Strength of the programme because children 'show' their thinking when working with the equipment and talk about what they are doing. It also caters for a child's differing rates of development as well as the length of time it takes to master elements of learning. Further to this, errors in a child's understanding are immediately seen and can be rectified through additional demonstrations and modelling by the teacher or parent, enabling true successful outcomes.
Whole class teaching The teacher deomonstrates an activity in front of the whole class which is followed by group work. Peer-led discussions and co-operation is evident. A year two teacher observed a pupil in one group demonstrate to another group saying "Why don't you do it like this it's much easier". Pupils also develop their speaking and listening skills as well as reinforcing their social abilities.
Learning difficulties, disabilities and additional needs Stern materials are of special importance for this group of children because they need to learn to integrate information through all their senses. They will have deficits with one or all of their cognitive processing systems. Deficits include the lack of spatial and discrimination ability, difficulties with perceptual processing, speech, language and memory. The size of the blocks are specific to a child's early sensory-motor development.
These children will benefit by being taught in a very small group, paired or one-to-one settings. In all settings the teacher or support staff will demonstrate each activity using simple language prompts. The multi-sensory nature of the programme enables children to take in information through ALL of their senses. Stern's structured equipment stimulates a child's fine-motor ability as well as supporting social development such as turn-taking and behaviour, speech and language.
At home parents share the pleasure and enjoyment as they watch their children discover number knowledge and concepts through concrete play. The 'puzzle' stage in book 1, the trial and error factor, encouraged by the 'visual feedback' and self-checking apparatus means that children gain insights and real understanding about numbers for themselves.
Click here 'How to use Stern'
