Digi Math Vocabulary Games

These EYFS Digital Math Vocabulary Games are a brilliant way to help your kids build and extend their list of math words they will see, hear & use during math lessons. Interactive, fun online math games your kids will love.

“Not being able to read the question” is the number 1 reason, given by teachers, for their kids not doing well at maths testing. In this post, you’ll get fun math vocabulary Games {Online} to help your kids.

Now not being able to “read the question” is a really surprising statement, as the kids are generally doing well at “reading”. So why do kids find reading math problems difficult?

Reading math questions is very different to reading regular literacy texts. “Not being able to read the question” is the number 1 reason, given by teachers, for their kids not doing well at maths. This is really surprising, as the kids are generally doing well at “reading”. So why do kids find reading math problems difficult?

There are actually a number of reasons why kids find reading maths difficult that are not linked to reading ages:

• Math text is not the same as that in novels. It’s dense and includes symbols and graphics.
• Fewer words are used for setting a context compared to very detailed paragraphs in novels
• The meaning of words changes significantly in math problems compared to how they are used in everyday life. E.g. volume might mean the sound control on a T.V. remote but in mathematics it is linked to measurement. 
• Many words in maths have more than one meaning, that changes in different contexts, e.g. square is a shape, but can also be a square number.
• Some words are unique to maths which means students cannot take an informed guess as to the meaning. E.g. numerator and denominator.

So spending time on building math vocabulary is an important part of mathematical achievement.

In fact much research (Swan & Dunstan; Hirsh & Nation;) has been conducted about the importance of teaching vocabulary and the impact on achievement. The research highlights:

• vocabulary is connected with reading comprehension and is a predictor of students’ comprehension
• Students need to know 90-95% of the words in a text before they can comprehend that text
• Vocabulary needs to be explicitly taught first
• Students from low socioeconomic areas need greater support
• Teaching math vocabulary can help raise student achievement levels
• Students with high vocabulary are better at mathematical reasoning

In summary, the benefits of teaching mathematical vocabulary will impact students’ level of achievement and must be included in every math unit.

EYFS Digital Math Vocabulary Games

Our EYFS Digital Math Vocabulary Games are a fabulous resource designed to help teach math vocabulary throughout the year.  We created a set of digital word searches that will help students to recognise mathematical words used throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage of learning.

As well as building a bank of words the word searches should be used to facilitate “Number Talks” or “Math Chats” about each mathematical concept.

We grouped the word lists by strand so they can be matched to the concept you’re teaching. And within each strand are math vocabulary lists for each sub-strand of learning: 

• Number & Algebra – 12 word searches 
• Measurement – 7 word searches
• Statistics & Probability (coming soon)

These word search games are interactive and self-checking and have the math words shown on the right-hand side. Just log in and start!

How To Play Math Vocabulary Games

To play these games you will need:

• an internet connection & modern browser, we suggest Google Chrome
• a digital device like an iPad, interactive whiteboard, laptop or PC
• the Student Password to share with your students. Note – Only PAID Premium members will be able to access this Student Password

To get the Password To Share With Students:

• Log into your account & click the Students Password link in your account
• or Go To The Student Password Page 

How to use the QR Code Below

We know getting a class full of students to play the right games can be tricky so we have made it easy for them all to be in the right place at the right time with a QR Code. Simply display this page on your interactive whiteboard and get your students to scan the QR Code below. Once they scan it all the students will be directed to the math vocabulary games page and the online games you want them to play! Nifty!

Use the QR Code to help organise your students.

• Display this page on your interactive whiteboard
• Give your students the “Student Access Password”
• Students scan the QR Code with their device to get to this list of Math Vocabulary Word Games
• Students then Click the image of the game to play