Selecting Numerals

Aims

This activity is designed to:

• Teach your child to select the numerals 1 to 5
• Teach your child to link the numerals 1 to 5 to the correct number words

And, later to:

• Teach your child to select the numerals 1 to 10
• Teach your child to link the numerals 1 to 10 to the correct number words

When to start

This activity is suitable for children who have begun to say the number words and can match the numerals they are being asked to select.

For example, if your child has begun to learn to say "one-two" (Activity 1) and can successfully match the numerals 1 and 2 in Activity 2a, they can begin to learn to select the numerals 1 and 2.

Your child may still be learning to say the number words clearly while learning to match and select. The number words will be repeated throughout these activities, offering your child extra opportunities to learn to say them.

Teaching in small steps

At first, practice selecting numerals in counting order, starting with 1-2 and extending the sequence as your child becomes more confident.

When your child can confidently select the numerals 1-5 in counting order, you can practice selecting numerals in any order.

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).

Modelling and prompting

At first, model the activity. Demonstrate each step in the activity, encouraging your child to watch and listen.

When your child first starts the activity, prompt them as needed to help them complete the task successfully.

Steadily reduce your prompts as your child learns the activity.

Instructions

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Apps settings

The apps include the following settings that control how the activity is presented:

• Select numerals in any order - when enabled, together with "provide prompts", cards are requested in random order.
• Number of answer attempts - sets the number of incorrect answers that can be given before prompting the correct answer.
• Time to wait for answer - the time to wait for an answer. Initially, this is indefinite to allow you to demonstrate and explain the activity.
• Provide prompts - turns on recorded voice prompts. We recommend that you provide the spoken prompts at first, and consider turning this option on when your child has begun to learn the activity.
• Enable applause when activity is completed - enables/disables playing applause at the end of the activity.

Recording progress

You can record your child's progress using the Learning Numerals record.

Enter the dates your child first started to learn and first succeeded in selecting each sequence of numerals (Figure 4).

Progressing through the numerals

When to introduce the next numeral

When your child can correctly select the numerals in a sequence (for example, 1-2) three times you can introduce the next numeral and practise the extended sequence (for example, 1-2-3).

When to practise selecting numerals in random order

When your child can successfully select the numerals 1-5 in order (or, later, 1-10), you can begin to ask them to select the numerals in any order.

Moving to the next activity

As your child learns to match and select each numeral, and to say (or sign) the corresponding number words, they are ready to start Activity 2c - Naming Numerals with the numerals they have learned to match and select.

For example, when your child has learned to match and select 1 and 2, and say the words "one-two", they can start learning to name the numerals on request. Meanwhile, they can continue to learn to match and select 1, 2 and 3 (if they have also begun to learn to say the number word "three").