For many children, achieving numeracy must seem like getting through an obstacle course. Muddled by multiplication, devastated by division, flummoxed by fractions, disorientated by decimals, poleaxed by percentages, numbed by negatives, terrified by trigonometry: if one doesn’t get you, another will.

Difficulties at any of these stages can bring feelings of failure and a deteriorating attitude towards learning maths. If not dealt with satisfactorily, the child’s level of numeracy can be curtailed and lead to disenchantment with all things mathematical. This is bad news, for the individual and the country.

A programme for teaching and learning numeracy, which I have developed over the past 20 years as a maths teacher, combines the best of traditional and modern methods. Sumdials has been the subject of a short research study by Rod Bramald, of Newcastle University’s department of education, who found substantial improvements in six-year-olds’ speed at correctly answering simple arithmetic number bond questions. These were achieved during the six-week research project, which involved nine primary schools in and around Edinburgh and in north-east England.

Mr Bramald also reported a significant improvement in the pupils’ attitude to school and said teachers and children were generally very positive about the Sumdials entry level materials. These comprise a Sumdial 10 interactive pupil learning aid, addition and subtraction worksheets, Sumdial memory aids (addition and subtraction stories zero to 10) and number flashcards for zero to 10.

Willie French, the headteacher of Craigmuir Primary in Edinburgh, says:

“The Sumdials system explores an alternative approach to numbers and the four basic processes, which enhances the children’s understanding while encouraging fun and interest at the same time.”

Val Watt, a teacher at Oxgangs Primary in Edinburgh, says: “The approach worked particularly well in helping children who have difficulties in learning addition and subtraction facts. The aids helped to keep their interests focused.”

Recent HMI publications in Scotland underline the importance of maintaining learning momentum gained through early intervention and sustaining it through to secondary level. The Sumdials approach addresses this need.

It includes a range of learning and teaching materials which cover addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percentages, negative numbers and trigonometry. They form an integrated system, providing a consistent approach to learning all these aspects of numeracy from age five to 16. The advanced items - negators and trigonometers - have been developed and used by myself at Boroughmuir High in Edinburgh for 20 years and by teachers in other high schools for more than 10 years.

The Sumdial 10 is the distinctive part of the system, employing the three main learning paths: aural, visual and kinaesthetic. The teacher shows the pupil how to operate the Sumdial with a verbal explanation and a demonstration. As the pupil operates the Sumdial, its status changes and enables the child to learn and comprehend the rules of numbers as a consequence of the “moves” that are made.

Interactive teaching aids enable the teacher to engage each pupil individually within a whole-class situation. Learning with Sumdials has been described as “learning number skills through your finger tips”. Doing brings understanding.

Peter Shannon is principal teacher of mathematics at Boroughmuir High, Edinburgh Sumdials, 477 Gorgie Road, Edinburgh EH11 3AD, tel 0131 443 5000