Teaching Ideas

I teach Rec/yr1 and I have found that 'Numberjacks' has been the best way of getting my children to remember. It is found in Cbeebies and is just amazing! Children are engaged and they have even made the characters in class independently! All my children know numbers to 20!

Try having him trace out the numbers on sandpaper. This multi-sensory approach often works well.

I have heard writing the number with a torch in the dark helps with learning recognition.

A place-mat with numerals and graphic depiction of relative numbers of objects (such as brightly coloured racing cars) used at all meals might help. Begin with a mat 1 to 6 and follow with a series 2 to 7; 3 to 8; 4 to 9 and so on.

I teach 6 year olds and my teacher aide is working with one of my students on number and letter recognition. She focuses on one number a week and has the student draw it on paper, on a whiteboard, in the air, in sand, with chalk, with paint brush and water, make it with playdough, create sets of lots of different objects to represent that number.

She has also made the numbers out of sandpaper and stuck them to card to the number can be felt and traced with the finger. Think about multiple intelligences and what might suit your child. Draw the numbers really big in chalk and have your child step around the shape.

Put numbers on cards and put them in order, then take one out and ask the child to name the number that is missing (counting along from 1 is a good strategy).

I got milk bottle lids and wrote numbers on the top, then had the child count out the appropriate number of smarties to hide underneath. Or you can hide the smarties and the child has to tell you how many are there by recognising the number, then reveal and count them out. If correct he can eat the smarties!

Hi,
I would suggest lots of rote learning where you are repeating the numbers over and over again. Try teaching him songs with numbers in it. eg: 1,2,3,4,5, once I caught a fish alive 6,7,8,9,10 then I let him go again etc etc. You could try using visual cues when singing and physically putting the numbers down 1,2,3,4,5 then have a fish picture then put down 6,7,8,9,10 then I let him go again (takes the fish away) etc. etc.

Having two sets of numbers 1 - 10 laminated on card is great, then you can use them as flash cards and play games like "fish" where each of you have five cards each (you'd need 2 sets of the numbers 1 - 10) then you say...do you have a 6? you say 'fish' if the other person doesn't have a 6. You collect the pairs to see who collects the most pairs. Or play 'memory' where you have two sets of cards 1 - 10 face down and you turn two over and say the numbers, if they are a match you keep them, other wise you turn them back over and the other person has a turn.

I think it is just lots of repetition, games and lots of fun working with numbers. When he successfully can recognise number 1 -10, then work on 10 - 20 and so on. You can do the same activities with sight words too or the alphabet and learning sounds etc. I hope this has helped a little. Julie

Hi,

I teach Prep children and have found that some children take time to obtain this recognition. If you work solidly on the "value" of the number, this sometimes helps. For example, Show me 4 things. Show me 7 things. etc
Also, lots and lots of one-to-one correspondence will help. Matching up pictures with the number constantly should help. Playing games of snap with number cards; using number flash cards etc.

If all else fails, perhaps a test to see if there is a gap with retentive memory?

Hope all goes well, and stick at it. I wish all parents were as supportive as you :-)

I will post some information from my blog: http://twoplustwoisnotfive.blogspot.com/

Since I am not sure what you mean by your child struggles to recognize numbers. Do you mean, if you show him the numeral 5, he can't say it's name, can't count to five or show that it means 5 objects? Can he count to at least 10? My blog has a bit more information on teaching math.
From my blog:
1. Children need to be able to count to at least 18 to learn addition and subtraction facts.
2. Children need to be able to recognize the the numerals 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.
3. Children need to be able to count a given number of objects (to at least 18) correctly.
4. Children need to be able to match up the number with those counted. *** represented by a number 3.
5. Using some counters or objects, children need to be able to show what a number means. The number, 6, means six objects.
5. Children need to be able to orally identify a written number. See a 12, and name it as twelve.
6. Children need to be able to write or type the numbers 1-20.

A few years ago, a young teacher told me that her student could show three objects + four objects, and count them correctly to get a total of seven, but she said the child did not know the numerals. The child did not know the number symbol for seven is 7.

Hope the rest of this helps you too.
If your child cannot name all of the numerals, test to see if he knows any of them. If yes, make a card for that number, or numbers, and continue to review them. Then after a couple of days, teach one more number. Continue to review that new one with the ones that were known. Little by little expand until your child knows the numbers to 10, then 20. Begin associating objects with the numbers as well. Make it fun, matching the number 2 with 2 fish or 2 frogs. Count things and have him match the number to the objects. Also practice writing the number. Use large paper. Direct how to form the number with verbal cues. (number 1 is down., number 2 is up a little, down and across.)

If you child cannot name any numbers, tell him,
1.
This is one (1). Touch one, say 1.
2. Make a paper filled with 1s and a few other numbers and have him circle the 1s while saying 1 with him. do the same as you continue to teach new numbers on days following.
3. He can trace the 1s with red, then 2s with blue, and say each number as he does so.