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21 January 2004 FLAs on-line 13
Teaching Numbers with primary pupils
Counting in the foreign language is extremely popular with younger children and will
probably be one of the first areas you tackle. It also brings the added advantage of
giving counting practice in a different context. For older children, there are not only many
opportunities to use number words in different contexts, for example the calendar, ages,
the time, measures, shopping, games etc. but also to reinforce numeracy skills, either
those already acquired or those currently being developed in other lessons.
Ways in
With Key Stage 1 children, a good way in is to encourage the children to copy you by
holding up the same number of fingers as you and echoing what you say. When the
children have learned to count up to three, you can introduce them to a song.
Un, deux, trois!
Tune: Frère Jacques
Un, deux, trois!
Bruder Jakob
Un, deux, trois!
Un, deux, trois!
Eins, zwei, drei! etc.
Eins, zwei, drei!
Eins, zwei, drei! Uno, dos, tres!
Uno, dos, tres!
Eins, zwei, drei!
etc. Uno, dos, tres!
Uno, dos, tres!
etc.
In Key Stage 2, where learners’ literacy and numeracy skills in their mother tongue are
more developed, we can also draw on the children’s growing reading skills. Instead of
introducing numbers by holding up fingers or with flashcards and then teaching a song,
you might like to start with the rhyme or song. This example shows how you can begin
to combine text and illustrations to introduce word recognition in the foreign language.
Don’t forget to say the rhyme with lots of rhythm and emphasis, even when the written
word is being introduced.
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Un, Deux, Trois Un, deux, trois
Nous irons aux bois
Quatre, cinq, six
Cueillir des cerises
Un, deux, trois
Sept, huit, neuf
Dans mon panier neuf
Dix, onze, douze
Elles seront toutes rouges
Quatre. cinq, six
Sept, huit, neuf,
Dix, onze douze.
Here is an example in German with has a very strong rhythmical beat which helps the
sequence of numbers stick in the learner’s memory.
Eins, zwei, Polizei!
Drei vier, Offizier!
Fünf, sechs, alte Hex!
Sieben, acht, gute Nacht!
Neun, zehn, auf Weidersehen!
Or what about this nonsense version in Spanish. U-no, no tengo ninguno
dos, - sí hay para vos
Los Números tres, - que fresco es usted
cuatro, cinco,
seis machete,
siete filete,
ocho bizcocho,
nueve, diez.
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Taking it further
Counting forwards is a good beginning and shows the ability to memorise a sound
sequence. In contrast, the following rhymes get the children to count backwards which is
an appropriate next step. Children will be familiar with these kinds of patterns from
rhymes such as, ‘There were ten in the bed’.
Six au lit
Et le petit dit
Es gab zehn im Bett
Es gab zehn im Bett,
Six au Lit
‘Poussez-vous! Poussez-vous!’
5, 4, 3 Und der kleinste sagte:
‘Rutscht ‘rüber, rutscht ‘rüber!’
Deux au lit Sie rutschten alle rüber,
Und einer fiel heraus…
Et le petit dit,
‘Pousse-toi! Pousse-toi!
9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2…
Plus personne au lit
Es gab einen im Bett,
Et le petit dit
‘Bonne nuit !’ Und der kleinste sagte:
‘Gute Nacht! Gute Nacht!’
Activities and Games
Cinq et dix – Au revoir! Invite the children to start counting around the group up to
whichever number they are learning. When the group reaches the last number, start
again at zero. Whoever says the number 5 or 10 (or a multiple of 5 if you are using
larger numbers) has to sit down. The winner is the last child left standing.
Mostra me! (Show me!) All Primary schools should have a set
of digit cards or fans. Ask the class teacher where your school
keeps theirs. Give out a set of cards or a fan to each child. You
call out numbers at random and encourage the children to find
the correct number from their fan or cards. On the instruction,
‘Mostra-me!’ (or the equivalent in whichever language you are
teaching), the children hold up the fans. You can very quickly see
which children have the correct answer.
Ploof! Splash! You will need flashcards with the
numbers on for this game. Put a selection of about
6 flashcards on the floor in random order to look
like stepping-stones. Demonstrate the game by
stepping on each number in turn and saying the
number you step on. Make a deliberate mistake for
the children to notice at which point they all say
Splash! or Ploof!
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Le Dé Most Primary schools will also have large sponge dice which children use in
their numeracy lessons. Ask your teacher. If you don’t have these, this game could
also be played in pairs or small groups with normal sized dice. One of the children
throws the dice and all the children say the numbers. You could then repeat with two
dice. To make it more difficult, if you have taught the children how to say the words
for ‘plus’, ‘minus’, and ‘equals’, they could make up a simple calculation for which the
number showing on the dice is the answer.
Random numbers You will need two different coloured balls or two different toys for
this game. You throw a toy/ball to one child saying a number of your choice. The
child then has to say the next number in sequence. That child then throws the
ball/toy to another child, again saying a number of their own choice. The child that
catches the ball/toy has to say the next number in sequence and so on. To make this
really difficult, you introduce a second toy/ball and this time, the child who catches it
has to say the number before yours! Trying to keep both toys/balls going around is
really tricky and means that the children really have to think!
Clapping game The children need to be sitting in a circle for this game and their
should not be more children than the highest number you have learned. You give
each child a number. Start a slow 4-beat rhythm going by clapping knees on ‘one’,
clapping hands on ‘two’, clicking right fingers on ‘three’ and left fingers on ‘four’. You
say your number on the right click and a random number on the left click. The child
who has that random number has the first two ‘beats’ to think, then repeats her
number on the next right click and says another person’s number on the left click and
so on. Do make sure you start this slowly! It is also a good idea to give the children
each a card with their number on, rather than just telling them in case they forget!
Fish and Fishermen You will need a lot of space for this game. Divides the children
into two groups. One group is the fishermen and the other is the fish. Explain to the
fishermen that they must choose a number (in secret) and then form a circle with a
gap in between each person. Explain to the fish that they must walk in and out of the
circle while the fishermen count in sequence starting from zero. When the fishermen
get to their chosen number, they close up the gaps in the circle so that any fish in the
circle are caught. The trapped fish become fisherman and the game starts again.
The winner is the last child to get caught.
La matematica You will need to have taught the children the words for
‘plus’, ‘minus’ and ‘equals’ to play this game. You will also need the
number fans or digit cards from game 2. You call out some simple
addition and subtraction calculations and the participants use the digit
fans or number cards to show the answers. You could make this more
exciting by dividing the children into two groups. Each group takes it in
turns to make up a calculation for the other team. You could score the
game by saying that however many children hold up the correct answer
when you say ’Show me’ (see game 2), is the number of points that team
scores.
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1, 2, 3, 4,
Fizz-buzz Count from 0 – 20 (or to which ever number your woof?
children have learned) as a group. When you get to a
multiple of five you have to make an animal noise instead of
saying the number e.g. ‘1, 2, 3, 4, moo’ etc. Do the same
again but this time when you get to a multiple of three you
have to make a different animal noise e.g. ‘1, 2, woof, 4, 5,
woof’ etc. Try again with both! There is an excellent website
that tells you all the animals sounds in lots of different
languages. Try
http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/animals/
Circle the number You will need to write two sets of identical numbers on the board for
this game. (Make sure that you write them within the children’s reach!) Divide the
children into two groups and invite one child from each group to take a board pen or
chalk and come to the board. You call out a number and the first child to circle the
correct number gets a point for their team. If you don’t have a board handy you could
use two sets of numbers cards on the floor or blu-tacked to a wall (again, make sure that
the children can reach them!) and ask them to touch, rather than circle, the correct
number.
La calculatrice Primary schools have many
resources for numeracy that will be very useful to
you in your language lessons. One of these
resources is the overhead projector calculator. Ask
your teacher if your school has one.
Your children will need to know the words for ‘plus’,
‘minus’ and ‘equals’ to play this game. You make up
a calculation and to put it into the OHP calculator
but don’t press the ‘equals’ button just yet! (Make
sure that the answer is a number that the children
know.) The children can say each stage of the
calculation as you do it. Then ask for a volunteer to
work out the answer. They ca press the ‘equals’
button and see if they were right. You could also
divide the children into teams and ask them to take
it in turns to give each other a calculation to put into
the calculator. Whatever the answer is, they score
that many points if they get it right!
You could make it really difficult by also teaching
the words for ‘times’ and ‘divided by’ !
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