Number skills: symbolic (understanding written numerals and number words)

Type 1: Rote counting/Ordinal relations 
Understanding the order of number words 1-10 either forward or backward, starting from the beginning, end, or somewhere in between

1 How to spot this skill being applied in free play

2 Check for understanding

• Ask the child to count as high as they can starting at 1, count down from 5, or count up/down from other numbers. 
• Ask the child what number comes before or after another number (e.g., ‘what number comes after/before 5?’)
• Ask child to label the order of objects in a line (‘which one is first, second third, fourth, etc.’)

3 Guided activities to support this skill

• Snakes and Ladders: prompt children to recite the count sequence to remind them of the next/previous number on the space
• There are numerous nursery rhymes and stories that expose children to the verbal count list in forwards or backwards order (listed here). For more of a challenge, start at a random spot in the number sequence and have the child predict what number comes next
• When following a cooking recipe, emphasise the order of each step (‘first we add the eggs, second we stir in the flour’). You can also emphasise the order of children in line

Type 2: Numeral identification 
Recognising and labeling written Arabic numerals (e.g., 4)

1 How to spot this skill being applied in free play

2 Check for understanding

• Print numerals on cards and ask child to name them (‘what number is this?’) in a random order. 
• Show child a series of 4 numerals all at once and have them point to the one that matches the number requested (e.g., ‘point to 4’)

3 Guided activities to support this skill

• Go Fish: pointing to numbers on the cards and asking the child to label them
• Snakes and Ladders: ask the child to label the printed numbers on the spinner and spaces
• Ask the child to label page numbers and any printed numerals in storybooks
• Ask the child to find/label numbers around the classroom/signs/clocks

By Dr Erica Zippert

PREPARED FOR THE EDUCATION HUB BY

Dr Erica Zippert

Dr Erica Zippert is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Purdue University. She studies young children’s broad mathematics development and how it is supported during social and playful interactions with parents and peers in a variety of informal contexts. She also examines the roles of context (traditional activities/games as well as digital apps/eBooks, activity goals), and parent and child factors (parental beliefs, child math abilities and interests) in determining the quality of early math experiences and subsequent math learning.