Place Value with Early Learners

A teacher of our very early learners, mostly children of six years, has worked hard to give her children an understanding of mathematics. Over the years she has had to work in a multitude of ways to try to get each of these very individual children to gain some concept of number. Below are some of the ideas that have succeeded. Some are adapted from Ginn and Heinemann games. This teacher has adapted the games to ensure that her children get rewards for their own efforts and has eliminated some of the competitive elements. Activity 1: Number bonds to 10

You need counters, a die, cards numbered 0 to 10 and a card like that in Photocopiable Sheet F with stars in some of the squares. You can scan a picture onto the sheet to make it more exciting and appeal to the interests of the group.

Children choose a counter and put their counter on Start. They take it in turns to throw the die and move their counter that number of squares in any direction. If they land on a star they take one of the numbered cards (turned upside down in a pile). If they can say the number on the card and the amount that must be added to it to make 10, they get a star or a special sticker.

The game can be extended to practise number bonds to 20 or more.

Activity 2: Sequencing numbers: largest to smallest and smallest to largest

You need counters, a die, several small packs of numbered cards (e.g. 1, 8 and 10; 2, 9 and 5) and a card as in Photocopiable Sheet F.

Children choose a counter and put their counter on Start. They take it in turns to throw the die and move their counter that number of squares in any direction. If they land on a star they choose a number pack. They then arrange the numbers in order (either smallest to largest or largest to smallest) to win a star or special sticker.

The game can be extended so that larger numbers are used. Language can be built up over time: largest, greatest, smallest, least, most, etc.