Reading in Maths – Identify the Key Words (SEND)

Reading in Maths – Identify the Key Words

A fully accessible reading-for-maths resource from Henri Luya Education

Are your learners rushing maths questions and choosing the wrong answer because they haven’t read carefully enough?

This highly visual, structured resource is designed to explicitly teach pupils how to identify key words in maths questions before selecting an answer.

Created by Henri Luya Education, this activity is ideal for:

• KS3 and KS4 learners
• Low ability and SEND pupils
• Intervention groups
• Functional Skills preparation
• Pupils working on Entry Level and foundational numeracy skills

What This Resource Teaches

✔ Reading maths questions slowly
✔ Highlighting important information
✔ Ignoring distracting or silly answers
✔ Selecting the only logical and sensible response

Each multiple-choice question is carefully written so that:
• There is only one possible correct answer
• All incorrect answers are deliberately distracting
• Pupils must read carefully to succeed

This builds essential cross-curricular skills:
• Reading comprehension in maths
• Vocabulary recognition
• Logical thinking
• Exam technique

Question Topics Include:
• Numbers up to 20
• Odd and even numbers
• Basic subtraction
• 2D shapes
• Money (pounds and pence)
• Time (o’clock and past times)

The format makes it ideal for modelling:
• Whole-class reading
• Highlighting key words
• Think-aloud strategies
• Guided practice

Built-In Success Criteria

The resource includes clear, pupil-friendly success criteria:

✔ I can identify the key words in each maths question using a highlighter.
✔ I can choose the correct answer by using the key words in the question.
With differentiation tracking:
• Fully Supported
• With Support
• Independent

Perfect for evidencing progress in SEND settings and intervention folders.

Why This Resource Works

Many pupils struggle in maths not because of calculation — but because of reading.
This resource slows pupils down and teaches them:
“Read it. Highlight it. Then answer it.”
It reduces anxiety, builds confidence, and creates successful reading habits that transfer directly to GCSE and Functional Skills exams.

About Henri Luya Education
Henri Luya Education specialises in:
• SEND English and Maths accessibility
• Structured, step-by-step learning
• Making higher-level thinking skills achievable for all learners
• Practical classroom-ready resources

If your pupils need support with reading maths questions properly, this resource provides a simple, effective and classroom-tested solution.
Clear. Focused. Accessible.
Designed for real classrooms.