Pupil’s who struggle with maths
Over the past five years we have worked with families and schools using the Stern equipment to assist children with a wide range of learning difficulties, disabilities and additional needs, where progress is evident. These include, children with autism, AD(D)HD, speech and language disorders, Down syndrome, dyslexia, dyscalculia, visual impairment, a blind child, and deaf children.
The Stern programme was developed to enable ALL children to learn about numbers in a nurturing and play based environment and is particularly important
for children with SEN. The multiple elements within the pedagogy and accompanying apparatus contribute to successful teaching and learning.
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Pupils may have spatial or visual ability difficulties, processing  and memory issues, orientation issues as well as difficulties with fine-motor skills. There are pupils who have speech, language and communication delay, making it hard to assess comprehension levels, however, through the teacher’s demonstrations and from the child’s actions with the blocks and patterns, this enables children to learn the meanings of new vocabulary and develop better language ability. At the same time important stimulation and encouragement of cognitive processing is taking place.
Special Schools
 Some special schools have introduced Stern initially to assist groups of students who have made no progress for a significant period of time. Pleasing progress has been seen within one term, thus more classes have then been introduced to the apparatus, ultimately leading to whole school use.
Special School (11 – 19) Devon
“I tested the year 10 group using ‘Woodlands’ speed addition and subtraction 2 minute tests. I retested the group 5 months later and each one of the group has shown significant progress over this period. The ‘Stern’ group progress was recorded as above the rest of the class. It also showed increased understanding of addition and subtraction as well as a speeding up of the cognitive processes.”
Behaviour and Learning Special School Kent
“I would just like to let you know how well the Stern programme works for our pupils. They have really enjoyed, and have learned a lot from this programme, so much so that all of them have gone up at least 4 sub levels in 5 months. We are considering different pupils from our primary and secondary end to start the programme in September. We have also introduced the Charlotte Clock".
Excellent example of wasted years of potential learning
Here is a serious example of how we are failing children with SEN in schools and robbing them of years of potential learning. After spending the entire time in primary school, a pupil with Down syndrome remained within the P levels for maths. However, he was placed on the Stern programme directly he moved to his secondary school. After assessment five months later, he had moved to NC level 1. Imagine what he could have achieved if this equipment was already in his classroom when he first attended primary school enabling him to begin learning about numbers from age 5? Imagine how many other children would benfit if they too had access to this way of teaching.
"My teenager has an autistic spectrum disorder with underlying processing difficulties. She has never grapsed basic concepts in maths and differenct approaches in school have never been tried, only repetition of the same things which do not work . I am concerned that she will leave school without basic time and money skills".
These are not isolated case.
Pupils with Visual Impairment
John is a 9 year old boy with albinism and nystagmus. He has a visual acuity of about 6/52 with slight photophobia and wears glasses for close work as he is also very long sighted. He has been home educated for the past three years.
“After three months John’s attitude to maths has transformed. The tactile number blocks provide instant access and within a couple of sessions, playing lots of games, his number bonds to ten and twenty were cemented. My son has demonstrated that he has quickly grasped many fundamental mathematical concepts. Most days our lessons begin with the blocks. John moves the blocks around himself in response to suggestions from me. Despite the lack of eye contact John demonstrates that he has heard and understood me by moving the blocks correctly in place. In almost every lesson, I am observing that he has grasped the new task. He then goes on to further demonstrate this by quickly completing the relevant exercise in the workbook from memory. If he does get stuck he uses the blocks to remind himself".
"Stern’s method is encouraging my son to use his initiative, be independent and is rebuilding his confidence and self esteem. John is demonstrating daily his ability to transfer the knowledge he has learnt to much larger sums. His much improved mental arithmetic has made all areas of mathematics easier. Internal pictures - When adding or subtracting numbers John said “I visualise the Dual Board and move blocks around it in my head.” “I like doing it in my head because it’s quicker.”
Braille and Stern in the Classroom
Amirah was diagnosed with Leber’s Amaurosis. She has light perception only and attends a mainstream primary school. When Amirah was first introduced to Stern resources she was in the early stages of Braille acquisition.
“I can do calculations!” said Amirah…. The 10–box, Pattern Boards
and trays proved to be an invaluable resource for teaching addition and subtraction. The children in the rest of the class often had their interactive whiteboard picture as their mathematical model, whereas Amirah had her Stern tactile resource. The class teacher would discuss her planning prior to the lesson and the necessary apparatus would be made ready as was required. This enabled Amirah to work inclusively within the lesson alongside her peers. She could answer questions just like everyone else…..
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The Stern programme is ideal for these children because they can develop their number ability from the demonstrations and from their own experiences with handling the equipment. Language builds from the use of simple words describing their actions. Teachers will see progress from observations of a child’s ability to follow the simple tasks set.
  
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