Learning Number Words
Aims
This activity is designed to:
- Teach your child to say the words one to five
- Teach your child to begin to recognise the numerals 1 to 5
And, later, to:
- Teach your child to say the words one to ten
- Teach your child to begin to recognise the numerals 1 to 10
The activity uses printed numerals to provide visual prompts for the spoken words. We expect this to help children with Down syndrome remember the words.
When to start
This activity is suitable for children who understand and can say (or sign) at least 100 words. For many children with Down syndrome, this will be from around 3 or 4 years of age or later.
Teaching in small steps
We recommend that you teach your child the number words in small steps. The number words must be learned as a list in counting order.
Start with "one-two". When your child can say the number words you are teaching (independently or by imitating your prompts), extend the sequence ("one-two-three").
Work through each activity in See and Learn First Counting with the numbers 1 to 5 first, then repeat each activity with the numbers 1 to 10 later ( see guidance in Using See and Learn First Counting).
Speaking and signing
It will be easier for your child to learn to point to each numeral as they learn each number word if they are able to say the word, rather than sign it.
You can accept a consistent approximation of each word. Speech clarity usually improves with practice.
You may also accept the sign for the word, but always encourage your child to also attempt to say the word.
Modelling and prompting
At first, model the activity. Demonstrate the steps in the activity, encouraging your child to watch and listen.
When your child starts the activity, prompt them as needed to help them complete the task successfully.
Steadily reduce your prompts as your child becomes more confident.
Instructions
| 1 | Show your child the numeral cards | |
[Cards]: Select the numeral cards you wish to work with. At first, start with 1 and 2. Position the numeral cards in front of the child, in order, from left to right, starting with 1. ::: |
[Apps]: From the Main Menu screen, select Activities > Learning Number Words. Then select the number words you wish to work with. At first, start with 1-2. ::: |
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| 2 | Attract your child's attention Say "let's look at numbers". Give your child time to look at the numeral cards. |
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| 3 | Say the number words clearly in order Point to each numeral as you say each number word in order, starting with "one". Simply say the number word "one" rather than "number one" or "this is one". Encourage your child to look at each numeral as you say the corresponding word, by pointing at the card. [Apps]: Cards will be highlighted by a green coloured border if tapped in sequence to indicate the correct response. |
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| 4 | Ask your child to say the number words with you. Point to each numeral in order and encourage your child to say the number word with you. [Apps]: Cards will be highlighted by a green coloured border if tapped in sequence to indicate the correct response. |
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| 5 | Ask your child to point and say the number words. Ask your child to look at and point to each number with their index finger as they say the number word with you. If needed, help them by guiding their finger as necessary. [Apps]: Cards will be highlighted by a green coloured border if tapped in sequence to indicate the correct response. ::: |
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| 6 | Practice the number words. Encourage your child to practise pointing and saying the number words in order - repeating step 5 four more times. As your child begins to say each word, reduce your prompting and encourage them to say the word independently. Praise your child. [Apps]: By default, after the target cards have been tapped in sequence 7 times (steps 3, 4 and 5) applause may be played by tapping the tick button displayed to the bottom right. |
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:::Apps settings
The apps include the following settings that control how the activity is presented:
- Target repetitions - sets the number of times the sequence should be rehearsed before the activity ends.
- Play spoken word when card is tapped in sequence - enables or disables playing recordings of the number words. We recommend that you say the words yourself at first so that your child can see your mouth movements.
- Enable applause - enables/disables playing applause at the end of the activity.
Recording progress
Record your child's progress using the Learning Number Words record.
Enter the date that you start practising each sequence, and the dates your child first imitates and first says each word in the sequence independently (Figure 2).
Figure 2 | Example Learning Number Words record
Progressing through the number words
When to introduce the next number word
When your child can tap each card in order and say each number word in the presented sequence, you can move on and introduce the next number word.
For example, if your child can tap and say "one-two-three" you can move on and practise "one-two-three-four".
When to move on to the next activity
As your child learns to say each sequence of number words, they are ready to start Activity 2a - Matching Numerals with the numbers they have learned to say.
For example, when your child has learned to say "one-two", they can start learning to match the numerals 1 and 2. Meanwhile, they can continue to learn to say the number words "one-two-three".
Opportunities for additional practice
The more children practice, the quicker they are likely to learn. The more your child practises saying number words, the clearer and more accurate their production is likely to become.
There are many opportunities to practise saying the number words in everyday life.
While your child is first learning the number words, encourage them to practise reciting them in counting order - rather than saying individual number words in any order.
Look for opportunities to rehearse the number words your child is learning, such as:
- Marching and saying "one-two" as you move your feet and swing your arms
- Tapping a rhythm and saying "one-two, one-two"
As your child progresses and starts to learn further number words, introduce them in everyday activities too.
