How to Teach a Young Child Beginning Math Skills
Put colorful cut outs of small, medium and large geometric shapes on the walls in the child's room., Make shapes of geometry figures., Tell the child the names of the shapes and make it fun to think about and play with them., Sort and use clusters...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Put colorful cut outs of small
By being surrounded by this information all the time, they will gradually begin to remember this information subconsciously, meaning that the facts will be second hand.
This will make learning even more new information much easier., There are plastic ones available that will float in the bathtub, allowing that fun sense of learning to go beyond the class room and encourage them to think for themselves
- encourage them to play with those. , Remember, the concept of counting is more important than learning to identify shapes of numeric figures
- that will be something that comes after counting has become normal in every day life.
The recognition of numeric figures should come in natural, gradual way, through activities.
Do not force the information too much, especially if the child is struggling with the information or finding it overwhelming.
Allow them time to think and explain things in a clear, concise manner which is simple but not immensely detailed.
Mastering the basics is your chief aim here before moving on to further elements. , This should hopefully provide initiative for the child to demonstrate their counting skills whilst playing and without you necessarily needing to ask them. , Oh, Hey! Another one; and guess what, that's a total of two!" This will subtly remind them of what they have been learning, again encouraging them to think about it beyond the class room to incorporate it into every day life. , That will soon clear up as their vocabulary and mathematical skills develop with age and time. , 1 can of food and 1 more can equals two cans of food.
Right? , "Can I get a Yeah!" Support them in all they do, to define a clear sense of right and wrong.
Use technical words like "equals, sum, total, solution, objects," etc.
They will get the hang of it when you keep using them from day to day.
Tell them abstract concept of measurement, like taller than, shorter than, lower than, higher than, smaller than, larger than through these activities.
If you feel they are beginning to become used to or accustomed to a word, begin to throw in new words to their vocabulary to make things more interesting and challenging. , "Let's 'subtract.' What is 3 bottles of milk 'minus' 1 bottle?" (That equals two bottles) "Right!"
Explain that when they spend their money then that is "subtracting" from what they handed to the cashier, and the answer or "solution" is what they get back as change... , That would be 2, 4, 6, 8,
10.
Doing that motivates a new idea and leads to learning to multiply.
Repeatedly adding 2 is what multiplying by two is based upon.
It's a short cut for repeated addition of the same number: 2, 2 + 2 = 4, 4 + 2 = 6, 6 + 2 = 8, 8 + 2 = 10, two is in 10 5 times.
So then say, "2 multiplied by 5 is equal to 10," then also say "5 times 2 equals 10"...
Repeatedly subtracting 2 is what dividing by two is based upon. 10
- 2 = 8, 8
- 2 = 6, 6
- 2 = 4, 4
- 2 = 2, 2-2 = 0, two is in 10 5 times.
So then 10 divided by 2 is
5.
Use multiplying to check division. 10 divided by 5 = 2 "Check": 2 times 5 is
10. , at a glance over time. -
Step 2: medium and large geometric shapes on the walls in the child's room.
, Talk about 1/2 of a candy, half of a drink, etc.
Ask, "Is this half?" Explain that it's only half if it is split into 2 equal parts, numbers or amounts.
Ask, "Can I have the big half?"; then ask "Why that is a silly question?" Explain that "half" really means splitting something into parts that are "exactly the same" and so either half should be equal: the same... , So explain that 1 out of 2 possible or 2 out of 4 of the same kind of things is another way to say "one half"
so 2 is half of 4 (of of the 4 items or half of the 4 minutes of "time").
Avoid gambling when flipping coins or playing dominoes: you don't want to promote bad habits or addiction.
They learn about that soon enough. -
Step 3: Make shapes of geometry figures.
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Step 4: Tell the child the names of the shapes and make it fun to think about and play with them.
-
Step 5: Sort and use clusters of multiple play blocks without necessarily counting them.
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Step 6: Count things frequently
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Step 7: like "Here's one.
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Step 8: Help them learn numeracy (creating links to other subjects
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Step 9: such as literacy) but never be too pushy or critical if the child's answer doesn't make sense.
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Step 10: Start to add
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Step 11: or group
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Step 12: similar objects or general things after they can understand further about counting.
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Step 13: Be their cheerleader.
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Step 14: Start to subtract similar things after they understand about adding.
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Step 15: make change
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Step 16: subtract and spend money.
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Step 17: Introduce counting by 2's up to ten or more after counting by one is mastered.
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Step 18: Use extra large dominoes to learn to recognize 3
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Step 19: 5 and 10
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Step 20: Play dominoes as a learning game.
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Step 21: Half things all of the time.
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Step 22: Flip 1 coin and talk about "heads and tails" and "probability" is 1/2
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Step 23: or 1 out of 2.
Detailed Guide
By being surrounded by this information all the time, they will gradually begin to remember this information subconsciously, meaning that the facts will be second hand.
This will make learning even more new information much easier., There are plastic ones available that will float in the bathtub, allowing that fun sense of learning to go beyond the class room and encourage them to think for themselves
- encourage them to play with those. , Remember, the concept of counting is more important than learning to identify shapes of numeric figures
- that will be something that comes after counting has become normal in every day life.
The recognition of numeric figures should come in natural, gradual way, through activities.
Do not force the information too much, especially if the child is struggling with the information or finding it overwhelming.
Allow them time to think and explain things in a clear, concise manner which is simple but not immensely detailed.
Mastering the basics is your chief aim here before moving on to further elements. , This should hopefully provide initiative for the child to demonstrate their counting skills whilst playing and without you necessarily needing to ask them. , Oh, Hey! Another one; and guess what, that's a total of two!" This will subtly remind them of what they have been learning, again encouraging them to think about it beyond the class room to incorporate it into every day life. , That will soon clear up as their vocabulary and mathematical skills develop with age and time. , 1 can of food and 1 more can equals two cans of food.
Right? , "Can I get a Yeah!" Support them in all they do, to define a clear sense of right and wrong.
Use technical words like "equals, sum, total, solution, objects," etc.
They will get the hang of it when you keep using them from day to day.
Tell them abstract concept of measurement, like taller than, shorter than, lower than, higher than, smaller than, larger than through these activities.
If you feel they are beginning to become used to or accustomed to a word, begin to throw in new words to their vocabulary to make things more interesting and challenging. , "Let's 'subtract.' What is 3 bottles of milk 'minus' 1 bottle?" (That equals two bottles) "Right!"
Explain that when they spend their money then that is "subtracting" from what they handed to the cashier, and the answer or "solution" is what they get back as change... , That would be 2, 4, 6, 8,
10.
Doing that motivates a new idea and leads to learning to multiply.
Repeatedly adding 2 is what multiplying by two is based upon.
It's a short cut for repeated addition of the same number: 2, 2 + 2 = 4, 4 + 2 = 6, 6 + 2 = 8, 8 + 2 = 10, two is in 10 5 times.
So then say, "2 multiplied by 5 is equal to 10," then also say "5 times 2 equals 10"...
Repeatedly subtracting 2 is what dividing by two is based upon. 10
- 2 = 8, 8
- 2 = 6, 6
- 2 = 4, 4
- 2 = 2, 2-2 = 0, two is in 10 5 times.
So then 10 divided by 2 is
5.
Use multiplying to check division. 10 divided by 5 = 2 "Check": 2 times 5 is
10. , at a glance over time.
, Talk about 1/2 of a candy, half of a drink, etc.
Ask, "Is this half?" Explain that it's only half if it is split into 2 equal parts, numbers or amounts.
Ask, "Can I have the big half?"; then ask "Why that is a silly question?" Explain that "half" really means splitting something into parts that are "exactly the same" and so either half should be equal: the same... , So explain that 1 out of 2 possible or 2 out of 4 of the same kind of things is another way to say "one half"
so 2 is half of 4 (of of the 4 items or half of the 4 minutes of "time").
Avoid gambling when flipping coins or playing dominoes: you don't want to promote bad habits or addiction.
They learn about that soon enough.
About the Author
Peter Thomas
Brings years of experience writing about creative arts and related subjects.
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