Updated December 2011 as shown in green.
B.D.A. Contact magazine. September 2009.
by Di Hillage.
When you are learning maths do you find that it would be useful to have the teacher at your side to remind you of the explanation they gave when you started the lesson? There are some good textbooks but you then have to be able to read them fluently enough to follow what is being explained. If you have difficulties with reading this is not very helpful. It would be good to have someone to go over the explanation at your rate, repeating parts if you don’t understand the first time. This is exactly what Conquer Maths can provide.
There are now over 1000 animated and narrated Maths Lessons covering the UK Maths Curriculum for ages 5 to 16 or for those studying whatever their age. Units covering AS/A2/Alevel are being developed.
To use the program you need to …
- Watch and listen to short tutorials (2 to 10 mins) explaining the principles of that lesson in simple steps and using worked examples. You can stop and rewind any time you want to go over something again.
- Then test yourself by completing the online worksheet – it is best to do your working out using pencil and paper. You can print out the worksheet and work as you would in class and then enter your results on the computer for checking.
- Finally, view the worked solutions, which will guide you through your working out and help you to understand any areas where you went wrong.
Each lesson also has a summary sheet which can be printed out as a reminder or for revision.
Conquer Maths is available in various ways. Firstly you can have a free 14 day trial for just £1. A year’s online subscription for one student, which gives access to all the resources, is either £99 or £15.95 a month. This is probably less than the cost of lessons with a private tutor. Alternatively you can purchase the KS3 and 4 lessons on CD. The pricing structure for this allows you to buy topics separately or at £150 for each of the Key Stage 3 and 4 CDs.
There is more information and free sample lessons to try before you buy on the website www.conquermaths.com
