Give a Number
Aims
This activity is designed to:
- teach your child to give a number of items from a larger set
When to start
This activity is suitable for children who can count to 5 or more, and can count all of the items in the set from which they are asked to give a quantity.
For example, if your child can count to 5, then they are ready to learn to give 1 item from a set of 2, up to giving 1, 2, 3 or 4 items from a set of 5.
Learning the cardinal principle
The cardinal principle states that the last number word in a counting sequence identifies the number of items in the set.
Before children learn this principle, when asked to give 3 items from a set of 5, they will start to count but will not stop at 3, instead counting all 5 objects.
Children learn the cardinal principle in steps. At first, they can give 1 item from a larger set correctly but not 2, then learn to give 1 or 2 but not 3, then to give 1, 2 or 3 but not 4, and then to give 1, 2, 3, or 4 correctly. When they are able to give 1-4 correctly they are thought to realise the rule -- that the last number word tells you how many -- and have achieved an understanding of the cardinal principle. It takes most typically developing children a year to progress from being able to give 1 item correctly but not 2 to achieving an understanding of the cardinal principle and this is learned with the numbers 1 to 5.
Teaching in small steps
Start by teaching your child to give 1 from a set of 2 items. When they have learned to this, steadily increase the size of the sets - up to giving 1 from a set of 5. When your child can give 1 from a set of 5 they can start to learn to give 2 from a set of 3. Initially, work up to giving 1, 2, 3 or 4 items from a set of 5 items.
Later, you can return to this activity to teach giving 1 to 9 items from sets up to 10 (see guidance in Using See and Learn First Counting).
Modelling and prompting
At first, model the activity. Work through the steps in the activity, encouraging your child to watch.
When your child begins the activity, prompt them as needed to help them complete the task successfully.
Steadily reduce your prompts as your child progresses.
Instructions
| 1 | Set out the cards | |
[Cards]: Place the bear (or monkey) card on the table. Place the required number of cookie (or banana) cards below the animal card. Start with 2. Place a numeral card by the animal card to indicate the quantity to give. Start with 1. ::: |
[Apps]: From the Main Menu screen, select Activities > Learning Cardinality > Give a Number. Then select the number you wish to work with. At first, start with Give 1. Then select the maximum number to give from. Start with 2. The app will display an animal card on the screen with a numeral indicating the quantity to give to the animal. ::: |
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| 2 | Ask your child to give a quantity Point to the animal and say "give the [bear] [one]" Encourage your child to place one cookie (or banana) on the animal card. Continue to place cookies (or bananas) on the card until the correct quantity has been given. Model or prompt, as necessary. If your child places too many items on the animal card, place the excess item(s) below the card and encourage them to try again. (The apps will do this automatically.) When your child has placed (or you have modelled) the correct number of items, praise them. For example, say "good - [one]". |
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| 3 | Repeat three times Reposition the counter cards below the animal card. Repeat step 2 - again asking your child to give the same quantity. [Apps]: The number of repeats can be configured in the settings. |
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| 4 | Ask your child to give the quantity from a larger set If you are working through giving a number from more than one set (for example giving 1 from 2 and giving 1 from 3 - see guidance above), then move on to the next set. Otherwise, praise your child and finish the activity. Reposition the counter cards and introduce the additional counter card to make the set larger. Repeat steps 2-4 with the larger set. |
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:::Apps settings
The apps include the following settings that control how the activity is presented:
- Animal/counter type - selects whether to give cookies to a bear or bananas to a monkey.
- Repetitions - specifies how many times to repeat each request to give a number
- Show numerals - when enabled, numerals are shown on the animal card.
- Request in random order - when enabled, the sets from which to give the number are presented in random order.
- Enable applause - enables/disables playing applause at the end of the activity.
Recording progress
You can record your child's progress using the Learning Cardinality record.
Enter the dates your child first started to learn and first succeeded in giving numbers from each sequence of numerals (Figure 8).
Figure 8 | Example Learning Cardinality record
Progressing through the numbers
When to practise without counter prompts
When your child can successfully give a number three times with the numeral visible as a prompt, you can stop using the numerals (disable the numerals in the apps) and ask your child to give the number without prompts.
When to introduce larger sets
When your child can successfully give 1 from a set of 2 items three times without the numeral prompts, then you can move on to teaching giving 1 from a set of 3 items. Carry on teaching giving the number from sets up to 5.
Each time you play the activity, start with the smallest set and practise giving the number from increasingly large sets. For example, when your child can successfully give 1 from 3 items three times you can start to play this activity asking for 1 out of 2, 1 out of 3 and 1 out of 4 items.
Initially, we suggest asking your child to give a number from sets that steadily get larger. Later, you can present the sets in any order.
When to learn to give the next number
Teach your child to give a quantity from sets up to 5 without numeral prompts before moving on to giving the next quantity. For example, when you child can successfully give 1 from 5 they can start to learn to give 2 from a set of 3.
Moving to the next activity
When your child can successfully give numbers up to 4 from a larger set (up to 5) they can move on to Activity 5B - Learning Equivalence and begin to learn to share equally from sets of up to 10 items.
Later, your child can continue to learn to give quantities from 5 up to 9 from sets up to 10.
Opportunities for additional practice and generalisation
It is important that your child learns that they can count any items - not just the counters they first learn to count with.
When your child can correctly give quantities with one set of counter cards you can introduce the other set of counter cards.
With the printed edition, you can use the black counters and the numeral cards as a prompt for the number requested. You may also find other sets of items from around the house or classroom. To start with find identical items then.
With the app, you can switch between the bear and cookies and the monkey and bananas.
