7 essential features that make a great primary maths app
The best maths apps for primary school learners harness technology to maximise kids' learning potential. At home, maths apps are a great way of cementing what they have learned so that it comes to them fluently. A good maths app will also make learning and the inevitable practice that comes with it an enjoyable experience for your child.
We've put together this list of maths app essential features to help parents choose the one that's best for their child.
1. Personalised
The best maths apps use adaptive technology to make sure the lessons are suitable for your child and move at their pace. Using data from student performance, many of the most popular apps, like Khan Academy, Prodigy and Komodo, provide lessons that focus on areas where there is room for improvement and don't make students labour over topics they have already mastered. This increases confidence and reduces frustration.
Of all the apps, Komodo Maths is unparalleled in terms of personal touch, with learning plans for each individual student set up by real teachers, with the opportunity for parents to tell them about their child and their individual learning style.
2. No distractions
Some maths apps for kids attempt to disguise calculations inside a game to make learning feel more like play. However, this may prove counterproductive if the busy interface overwhelms or distracts kids, which can end up hindering their learning progress.
The best apps for learning and practice will be interactive and appealing for children, while having as few distractions as possible to allow children to focus better on the task at hand. Komodo’s short 20 minute lessons are designed to develop focus and concentration - which is an important skill for young learners.
3. Engaging and motivating
As a parent, we know that getting kids to do something they don't want to do is a momentous struggle - putting on shoes, doing homework…and don't even talk about bedtime!
To counter this, the best maths apps will have some sort of motivator built in to encourage children to do their maths practice regularly. Prodigy has characters that learners can level up, and in Komodo learners can earn points to trade for cool virtual belts and pets, as well as tailored rewards so that parents can pick exactly what will tempt their child to try hard at their maths practice.
Because practice embeds maths skills deep into memory for fast and accurate maths ability, there's just no swerving it. An app that is engaging and interactive will ensure kids are motivated to use the app regularly and get optimum results.
4. Uses 'little and often' learning
Leading on from the last point, maths app sessions should be short and sweet so that completing a lesson doesn't seem like a huge mountain to climb for your child. Short, frequent lessons also free kids from being stuck at a screen for a long time.
On top of all this, neuroscience suggests that this 'little and often' way of learning is the way that we learn best. Kids absorb the information more effectively when there are periods of downtime between learning sessions, encoding the memory more deeply so that the information is easy to access and recall.
5. Aligned to the curriculum
While there are no downsides to learning something new, it's better to start with and focus on the topics that your child is required to learn as part of the UK curriculum. This will set them up for future success in education.
Good maths apps will help your child move through relevant maths skills for their ability - find out what each age group covers at school.
6. Safe
Needless to say, the best learning apps won't share your data with external parties. There should also be no scope for your child to be exposed to the dangers of the web or other users. Look for an app that does not have any harmful advertising - even better if there is no advertising at all - to reduce distractions for your child.
7. Tracks progress and engages parents
You'll want an app with a dashboard or interface that allows you to track how well your child is moving through their learning plan. This way, you can keep on top of the topics they are working on and adjust as necessary to suit their school topics. You can also give appropriate feedback to encourage and motivate them to keep going.
Technology on its own can't work miracles, but getting parents involved is the secret sauce that significantly improves children's academic outcomes. Yes, I know that parents definitely have enough on our plates without adding to the to do list, but the best apps will set parents up for success in a way that won't have a negative impact on their already busy lives.
About Komodo - Komodo is a fun and effective way to boost primary maths and literacy skills. Designed for 4 to 11-year-olds to use at home, Komodo uses a 'little and often' approach to learning that fits into busy family life. Komodo helps users develop fluency and confidence in maths and English - without keeping them at the screen for long.