General Chat

my son is nearly 4 and when he reads numbers he says them back to front. eg if he see 54 written he will say it says 45.
I have tried to show him how you say the first number then the second but nothing works.
Do think he will just get it when he starts school.
Sue

Just make it fun for him sue and it will work out for him when he goes to school.

Please dont worry, the last thing you want is for him to pick up on your concerns. My two were exactly the same, and yes, he will just get it when he starts school..I'm sure.

Thanks for your replys makes me feel better. My eldest is fifteen this year and I cant remember him doing this. I know every child is different.
sue

If he actually recognises and can name single numbers at 3 years old, he's doing well.
It is not so important at this stage that he gets the double number correct, but rather that you help him to understand the value of number.
The concept of 'four lots of ten' being represented by the front figure, is way down the line in the future.
Simple matching games, eg one knife, one fork, one spoon per person at the table, and playing counting board games will all help his understanding of number, which eventually will help to get numbers correct.

Gwyn

I used to help out in a Reception Class around 10 years ago, I remember many 4-5 year olds getting words/numbers the wrong way round...they all get there in the end.

Thanks Gwyn

I will have a go at what you have said, havent thought of it like that.
We have just started the board games with him like snakes and ladders.

Sue

Sue

No way would I be worried about your son, he sounds quite forward in numeracy actually.

check out www.sparklebox it has both numeracy and literacy stuff on there that is fun

Kim

Understanding that position of numbers is important is a later concept.

If you thnk about it, most things in our lives are recognisable from several directions.
Think about a chair which you would identify as one whether it was one way round, back to front or upside down.

Yet we have to teach children that numbers have a directionality and letters can say different things depending on their direction. A small child would recognise the following as the same thing turned around
p q b d The same applies to numbers.

So don't worry and certainly concentrate on matching items and counting rather than identifying written numbers.

A pre-school child (as Gwyn said) is still at the stage of understanding the threeness of three for example and that a set of three anythings is the same number.

Have fun playing lots of number matching games.

This is a great site for ideas
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/math-for-little-kids.html

Best wishes
Sue
(with previously primary teacher hat on LOL)

Thanks Sue and Kim.

Will check out the sites might find some things to keep him entertained this week. I can not go out because he has chicken pox.

sue

Hello,

With mine I used to use the idea of putting objects(lego bricks) into piles so that eg : 24 was two piles of ten and four more, and then showing how that would be written down and said.

Hi Annie

He is tending to use his left hand more when he plays and eats.
But can also use his right.
My father was left handed so you never know.
I will wait and see as he grows to which hand he will use.

Thanks for all the replys from everyone.
Sue

As has said before ... he sounds a very bright young chap.

I work in a pre - school with this age children

In the *'Practice Guidance' for Early Years Foundation Stage 40 - 60 months Numeracy, we are working towards the children being able to:
Say & use number names in familiar contexts
Count reliably up to 10 everyday objects
Recognise numerals 1-9
Use developing mathmatical ideas & methods to solve practical problems
In practical activities & discussion, begin to use vocabulary involved in adding & subtracting
Use language such as 'more' or 'less' to compare two numbers
Find one more or one less from 1 -10
Begin to relate addition to combining two groups of objects & subtraction to 'taking away'
Use language such as 'greater'. 'smaller', heavier' , 'lighter' to compare quantities
Talk about, recognise & recreat simple patterns
Use language such as 'circle' or 'bigger' to describe the shape & size of objects
Use everyday words to describe position
.........
We do not expect all children to be able to do all of these things untill the end on their Primary School Reception Year.

The positioning of numerals may become more obvious to him once he starts putting phonic sounds together to form words. (read from left to right)

*'Practice Guidance for Early Years Foundation is the Non - Statutory Guidance that we use in the Every Child Matters Programme