Teaching Counting in Another Way Beside the Usual.
Counting is a way of knowing how many things there are. We use numbers to count. You can count anything around you, like your toys, your fingers, or even the steps you take when you walk.
Let's start with counting your fingers. Look at your hand. You have five fingers. We can count them together. Ready? Let's start with your thumb. Say, 'One.' Good job! Now, let's move to your pointer finger. Say, 'Two.' Keep going! Count each finger, saying the next number as you touch it. When you reach your pinky finger, say, 'Five.' Great job! You just counted to five!
Remember, counting helps us know how many things we have. It's like keeping track or telling a story about the objects. You can count forwards, starting from one and going up, or you can count backwards, starting from a higher number and going down.
There are many different ways we can do counting, below are some of activities on two ways of counting:
Activity 1: Tally Counting (Skip Counting)
Tallies are a way of counting and recording numbers using vertical lines. Each number count is represented with a vertical mark called a tally count. After four tally marks, a fifth tally mark is drawn diagonally across the previous four to represent the number 5.
- The pupils are made to represent number of small flower pots in the school using tally counting.
- Afterwards, they exchange their tally charts to read and interpret the tally charts created of their peers.
By engaging in this activity the pupils will develop skills in counting, recording and interpreting numbers using tallies. It enhances their visual representation of numbers and reinforces the concept of grouping by fives.