SEAL (Stages for Early Arithmetic Learning)

What is SEAL?

SEAL is a Maths scheme which we use in school. It is very thorough in checking that a child understands what is going on and moves them along in very detailed steps.

Children develop and use a range of methods to solve number problems. The strategies they use increase in sophistication as children gain experience and develop better ways of solving problems. SEAL is very specific in the terms and equipment it uses and we have listed some of these below.

What does that mean!?

Below are a number of words which we use within the SEAL scheme.

Rekenrek – A piece of equipment which looks like an abacus. Children use it for adding and subtracting.

Array – Putting dots into rows and columns so children can see what they are multiplying or dividing.

o o o o

o o o o

o o o o

E.g. this shows ‘3 x 4’ ‘4 x 3′ or ’12 split into 3 groups of 4’.

Backward Number Word Sequence – Counting backwards from any number. This can be done in ones (e.g. 83, 82, 81…) or in groups (e.g. 80, 75, 70…).

Forward Number Word Sequence – Counting forwards from any number. This can be done in ones (e.g. 81, 82, 83…) or in groups (e.g. 25, 30, 35…).

Combining – Another way of saying number pairs or number bonds. E.g. ‘5 + 3’ or ‘3 + 5’ or ‘What goes with 3 to make 5?’.

Sequencing Numerals – Putting numbers into order. Either smallest to biggest or biggest to smallest