Primary Inspiration: Conquering Teen Numbers ...plus, a Freebie for Valentines Day!

Hi, Teaching Friends!

We've all come to recognize that teen numbers are among the "sticking points" in early math.

Bridging the decades in counting, writing numbers greater than 100 (you know the ones I mean, like "10014" for "114"), ... but even before those come along, there are the tricky teen numbers.

Unfortunately, for as critical this understanding is, the way numbers are named in English doesn't always make this easy.

First of all, the naming of eleven and twelve is illogical. If you want to read some truly confusing (and confused) theories about the naming of 11-13, try googling "oneteen, twoteen, threeteen".

The Spanish words seem so much more meaningful: ten and one, ten and two, ten and three, etc. ESL/ELL/bilingual teachers, I'm wondering if it's easier for your students to understand the teen numbers because of that.

So, we do what we can to make these numbers real for those who struggle with them, to take them from rote counting to the deeper understanding they'll need to move forward in place value?

Hands on, hands on, hands on. Can't say it often enough. Your students need to touch, move, and construct to develop understanding.

Even the youngest learners can move rote counting beyond ten ... which is a good time for you to step and correct confusions like "eleventy two"! While they're counting sets of blocks, pennies, Legos, whatever, start to show them how to separate a set of ten and then count on. (Hey, you're teaching place value!!) Then pull out your number cards and have your students start matching them to the sets they've built, and sequencing the sets.

When they're solid in their understanding and you're ready for the next step, introduce your students to a variety of representations for numbers, like ten frames, dominoes, and number bonds.

Here's my bit of help today for your young math learners, and with a seasonal twist, too! Click here or on the picture to enjoy this freebie!

If you'd like to give your students more varied practice, here's a set of activities that uses number bonds, ten frames, and dice dots. The set includes clip cards, puzzles, task cards, and board games. You'll find what you need for ...