Children learn to count up to five and then up to ten quite easily, just like they learn a rhyme. But learning the value of each number takes time and needs to be linked to real experiences.
Once children can count up to ten, the teens and larger numbers are sometimes introduced quickly by counting, with too few concrete experiences for real understanding. Often, it is with the introduction of these larger numbers that children begin to lose confidence as they only know the number word and are not sure 'how many' the word represents. It is quite common to see children struggling to write numbers like 17 or 25 in tens and unit columns.
Possibly the most difficult numbers are 11 and 12, as they have to be based on experience, such as 11 o'clock, 12 eggs, playing Lotto, supermarket prices, house numbers, numbers on TV, DVDs. Numbers are everywhere around us and adults need to point them out to children.
Teen and tens numbers become easier to decode once children have been taught to listen to what the number word says, as, in fact, the number word tells us 'how many'. Once they understand the number code - that is, 14 is 4 and 10 (teen = ten) and later 20 is two lots of ten (ty = lots of ten) they have fun cracking the code - especially the boys.
Number Story Rhymes are natural, meaningful opportunities to link number words to concrete number experiences. They are a quick, fun play with numbers that need no equipment. Many involve children physically, which is known to deepen understanding and develop memory. Saying and playing rhymes together, encouraging children to listen to the number words carefully, helps to build up confidence. Make sure parents also know how to crack the code so they can share the fun with number rhymes.
Understanding 'how many' number words represent can lead to a form of self-dictation when, later, children do formal sums and have to write numbers in the Tens and Units columns.
Cracking the code helps children develop problem-solving skills, and confidence they can do arithmetic. Early positive attitudes to numbers are important for building up life-long numeral literacy skills.
READER OFFER
Number Rhymes - Tens and Teens by Opal Dunn and Hannah Shaw (Frances Lincoln, £11.99) is a collection of number rhymes, boldly illustrated and fun to read. Some include numbers up to ten or 12, some cover the teens, while others introduce children to the teens and larger numbers.
We have six copies of Number Rhymes - Tens and Teens to give away to Nursery World readers. Send your name and address on the back of a postcard or envelope, marked 'Number Rhymes' to: Nursery World, 174 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JP, or e-mail: letter.nw@haymarket.com. Winners will be the first six names drawn on 22 April 2010
