The Student Room Group

Best ways of teaching maths and english to an 8 year old

So I've been tutoring at a home with 3 kids for 2 hours a week. For 30 minutes of this I do some tutoring with an 8 year old girl, mainly maths and english. The problem is I have no idea how much she should know, or the best ways to help her improve. As it is she is thumbing through her times tables (up to 6) and adds and subtracts using number lines. Reading wise she has mastered Bif and Chip books... Is this the right stage for someone in year 4?
What is the best way to help her with her maths and english? What should I be teaching?

(Note, I know an 8 year old having tutoring is a little extreme, its nothing serious the mum just doesn't want her to feel left out by having a tutor for her older siblings but not her. Plus I am probably the most relaxed tutor in the world :tongue: )
(edited 12 years ago)
Compared to my 8 year old brother (year 3) he knows up to 10 times tables, I'm sure he was reading Biff and Chip books in year 1 though :s-smilie: try this http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/index.aspx
Reply 2
Thank you :smile:
Yeah she finds them too easy, I want her reading something more challenging... and thanks for the link!
Original post by emilylikeeee
So I've been tutoring at a home with 3 kids for 2 hours a week. For 30 minutes of this I do some tutoring with an 8 year old girl, mainly maths and english. The problem is I have no idea how much she should know, or the best ways to help her improve. As it is she is thumbing through her times tables (up to 6) and adds and subtracts using number lines. Reading wise she has mastered Bif and Chip books... Is this the right stage for someone in year 4?
What is the best way to help her with her maths and english? What should I be teaching?

(Note, I know an 8 year old having tutoring is a little extreme, its nothing serious the mum just doesn't want her to feel left out by having a tutor for her older siblings but not her. Plus I am probably the most relaxed tutor in the world :tongue: )


Hey i still use my fingers for my times table... Leave me alone...
Reply 4
Original post by emilylikeeee

Original post by emilylikeeee
So I've been tutoring at a home with 3 kids for 2 hours a week. For 30 minutes of this I do some tutoring with an 8 year old girl, mainly maths and english. The problem is I have no idea how much she should know, or the best ways to help her improve. As it is she is thumbing through her times tables (up to 6) and adds and subtracts using number lines. Reading wise she has mastered Bif and Chip books... Is this the right stage for someone in year 4?
What is the best way to help her with her maths and english? What should I be teaching?

(Note, I know an 8 year old having tutoring is a little extreme, its nothing serious the mum just doesn't want her to feel left out by having a tutor for her older siblings but not her. Plus I am probably the most relaxed tutor in the world :tongue: )


My younger sister could do all that in year 1 to be honest...She's in year 3 now, and she knows her times tables to 12 and is subtracting, multiplying, adding and dividing now. She read Biff and Chip books in year one.

Hope that helps...my sister is average in her class, but I think those girls you're tutoring may be a little behind. Good Luck !
Reply 5
Original post by Air18
My younger sister could do all that in year 1 to be honest...She's in year 3 now, and she knows her times tables to 12 and is subtracting, multiplying, adding and dividing now. She read Biff and Chip books in year one.

Hope that helps...my sister is average in her class, but I think those girls you're tutoring may be a little behind. Good Luck !


Thank you :smile:
What methods does she use for (written) multiplication/division/addition/subtraction?
Reply 6
Original post by crazycake93
Hey i still use my fingers for my times table... Leave me alone...


Well I literally don't know my 6/7/8/9/11/12 times tables, and I'm not joking :frown:
Original post by emilylikeeee
Well I literally don't know my 6/7/8/9/11/12 times tables, and I'm not joking :frown:


i know up to 15, but when i hav to use my fingers. Though i'm doing well at maths AS:biggrin:
I have mastered my times table up to 12 at the end of year 4. I basically had A3 poster of times table and I just kept reading it until I knew it. Just an idea.
Sorry, but to all those saying that they know kids who could do all that in Year One, they definitely weren't taught it at school.

My eldest son is in Year Three, and they are only just starting multiplication, and definitely not division at this age!

He read the Biff and Chip books (Oxford Reading Tree) in Year One and is now further along the ORT.

As for making things interesting, have you asked her what she wants to do? Are you allowed to take her outside? Shopping for example is a good way of teaching maths and reading (counting items, counting money, reading signs and labels).

You could look on the National Curriculum website for ideas.
Original post by emilylikeeee
So I've been tutoring at a home with 3 kids for 2 hours a week. For 30 minutes of this I do some tutoring with an 8 year old girl, mainly maths and english. The problem is I have no idea how much she should know, or the best ways to help her improve. As it is she is thumbing through her times tables (up to 6) and adds and subtracts using number lines. Reading wise she has mastered Bif and Chip books... Is this the right stage for someone in year 4?
What is the best way to help her with her maths and english? What should I be teaching?

(Note, I know an 8 year old having tutoring is a little extreme, its nothing serious the mum just doesn't want her to feel left out by having a tutor for her older siblings but not her. Plus I am probably the most relaxed tutor in the world :tongue: )


Teach her the times table up to at least 9x9. Teach her long multiplication and long division. As well as obviously addition/subtraction in columns, aka "long" again.

Don't let her use the fluffy thumbs method or other new age hippie nonsense methods. A number line should only be used to introduce negative numbers and 0.

Teach her proper english grammar and spelling and punctuation. DON'T teach her the phonic method, because English words often are not read as they are spelt. Teach her to visually spot lettering patterns and word structure.

Again, no hippie nonsense.
Original post by crazycake93
i know up to 15, but when i hav to use my fingers. Though i'm doing well at maths AS:biggrin:


Yeah well I managed to get an A at that, just goes to show ey :P
Original post by emilylikeeee
Yeah well I managed to get an A at that, just goes to show ey :P


Just proves you don't have to know everything mentally.
Original post by The-Real-One
Teach her the times table up to at least 9x9. Teach her long multiplication and long division. As well as obviously addition/subtraction in columns, aka "long" again.

Don't let her use the fluffy thumbs method or other new age hippie nonsense methods. A number line should only be used to introduce negative numbers and 0.

Teach her proper english grammar and spelling and punctuation. DON'T teach her the phonic method, because English words often are not read as they are spelt. Teach her to visually spot lettering patterns and word structure.

Again, no hippie nonsense.


B******s.

OP - Only teach multiplication and division to the child if she is ready.
Let her use whatever methods suit her, whether that be a numberline or whatever. Teach confidence in what they know, don't make things difficult.
As for teaching spelling - The-Real-One, if the OP doesnt teach the phonics way of spelling, what do you expect her to do? Teach the child to spell every word in the English language? The phonics way of spelling is there for a reason - you teach them one easy way of spelling that they can use for all words. Yes, all words. They learn confidence by spelling phonetically - even if it's wrong - because their writing can be read. As they get older, that's when they learn about correct spellings.
I do agree with teaching punctuation, the child should already be using full stops and speech marks.

Also, I would advise you to speak to the school - or get the parent to - and find out what they are learning there, and more importantly HOW. You should really use the same methods to avoid confusing the child and doing more harm than good.

Finally, it's probably not a great idea to ask a forum of teenagers who are barely out of school themselves.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by crazycake93
Just proves you don't have to know everything mentally.


That, my friend, is why they invented the calculator :smile:
Original post by jeffercake
B******s.

OP - Only teach multiplication and division to the child if she is ready.
Let her use whatever methods suit her, whether that be a numberline or whatever. Teach confidence in what they know, don't make things difficult.
As for teaching spelling - The-Real-One, if the OP doesnt teach the phonics way of spelling, what do you expect her to do? Teach the child to spell every word in the English language? The phonics way of spelling is there for a reason - you teach them one easy way of spelling that they can use for all words. Yes, all words. They learn confidence by spelling phonetically - even if it's wrong - because their writing can be read. As they get older, that's when they learn about correct spellings.
I do agree with teaching punctuation, the child should already be using full stops and speech marks.

Also, I would advise you to speak to the school - or get the parent to - and find out what they are learning there, and more importantly HOW. You should really use the same methods to avoid confusing the child and doing more harm than good.

Finally, it's probably not a great idea to ask a forum of teenagers who are barely out of school themselves.


Thank you for the advice. Yesterday I decided I would start doing column addition and multiplication with her and she coped quite well. But yes I will find out whats going on at school and work from there :smile: Thanks again.
Original post by The-Real-One
Teach her the times table up to at least 9x9. Teach her long multiplication and long division. As well as obviously addition/subtraction in columns, aka "long" again.

Don't let her use the fluffy thumbs method or other new age hippie nonsense methods. A number line should only be used to introduce negative numbers and 0.

Teach her proper english grammar and spelling and punctuation. DON'T teach her the phonic method, because English words often are not read as they are spelt. Teach her to visually spot lettering patterns and word structure.

Again, no hippie nonsense.


Thanks for the advice there. Yesterday I started with column addition and multiplication, she coped really well, so I think shes ready to be pushed a little more :smile:
Original post by jeffercake
Sorry, but to all those saying that they know kids who could do all that in Year One, they definitely weren't taught it at school.

My eldest son is in Year Three, and they are only just starting multiplication, and definitely not division at this age!

He read the Biff and Chip books (Oxford Reading Tree) in Year One and is now further along the ORT.

As for making things interesting, have you asked her what she wants to do? Are you allowed to take her outside? Shopping for example is a good way of teaching maths and reading (counting items, counting money, reading signs and labels).

You could look on the National Curriculum website for ideas.


Thank you for the advice, I was started to get a little behind when everyone was saying she should be doing long division :s-smilie:
I like your style. My younger sister learned the phonic method and still pauses/pronounces simple words wrong when she reads them the first time (she's 12 now), it drives me mad.

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