Is counting on developmental?

[Btervet]

I've done a fair bit of math with my 4 year old and he's got a good grip on addition. We use c rods and an abacus, he can add large numbers easily with them and understands place value. However, he cannot count on at all. If I ask 7+2 and tell him not to use a manipulative or fingers he is lost unless he starts counting at 1. Is this just developmental?

[desertflower]

If it's just wh3n he's not using a manipulative, then I think so. He just needs more practice as well. I wouldn't worry about it. My child started oit that way and I still moved forward. Not to say that you should move forward, he's only 4.

:) it's just what I did.

 

That's great that h3 can add already.

[Tanikit]

I don't think it is entirely developmental - I think it can be taught, but it does take practice and it needs to be repeated and shown with manipulatives and also by practicing counting starting at different numbers and also playing games like: what comes after and what number comes before. Counting on usually starts with very small children: I am 3 years old - next birthday I will be 4 but in order to do it with abstract sums some help is often needed.

 

You also need to start with much smaller numbers than 7+2 - he needs to be able to do it with 2+1 first and other numbers where you add 1 before starting again at 2+2 and so on.

[Miss Tick]

Anecdotally I say yes. I've seen it with all my dc, but particularly my dds. My youngest is 5 and going through this right now. I'll say, "add 6 + 2, starting with the 6" She knows what I'm saying, but she usually has to count really quickly to 6 first. Not always, though!

 

I think it is like learning to say the alphabet starting in the middle. Takes comfort with the whole thing, and then practice.

[MotherGoose]

It is definitely developmental and may have something to do with "mathiness" says she who has a 5 and an 8 year old and no other information. However, with my oldest, who loves reading, I had to teach her to count on. She just would not/could not count on until she was probably 6 or so. She couldn't grasp it, and happily counted from 1 up. She's fine with it now, and is doing well with math. It just clicked eventually. With my youngest, who loves math, mechanics, etc and does not have such a propensity for language, I just realized that she figured out how to count on by herself. I didn't teach her. She also could just recognize items in groups--maybe up to 5 or 6. She probably figured it out shortly after she turned 5.

[beaners]

I think developing that sense of conservation of number is developmental. 5 is always 5. 5 books is 5, 5 dogs is 5, 5 fingers is 5, and they are all the same number. It is 5 if they are close together or if they are far apart. You don't need to count from 1 if you know you have 5 to start with. Some of it is a gradual progression. Some parts of it are easier to grasp because kids just have more practice with them. What happens if you ask what 47 + 2 is instead? Does that click or will he start from 1 or is it too difficult without manipulatives?

[kiwik]

The school sequence here goes, one to one correspondence, counting from one with manipulatives, counting from one by imaging, counting on. They obviously feel it is a sequential process. Ds7 could count on at 4, ds5 is not there yet but I think he might just memorise stuff and then work things out from there.

Ds5 can do subtraction by counting back though - have you tried that?

[swainsonshawk]

Another anecdotal opinion: I've seen this with all my kids. It goes away eventually. It is an annoying way to add, though. For my kids, it went away some time in 1st grade material.

[sewingmama]

Well my kids are 7 and 8. and still have trouble with counting on. DS can usually do it...occasionally I have to remind him how and although he can do a lot of math in his head...if he counts on he often uses his fingers.

 

DD ..well she struggles a lot with it. Sometimes she can but most of the time she has to start from 1.

 

My 5yo...well he can't count to 20 reliably yet so I'm betting he couldn't count on either.

 

I swear if I had a dollar for every time I have to remind my kids...don't start counting from 1...start from the biggest number and count on ...

[Guest Mandabplus3]

It is sequential. Not developmental.

You will find some older books or less informed educators and such saying it is developmental.

Your child must first be very familiar with counting and number order before they can count on or count back. The ability too add is a different skill and involves understanding grouping rather than number order so much.

To teach counting on use word problems in everyday life and plenty of manipulative while demonstrating counting on. Demonstrating it over and over is often successful. little kids don't often make that connection themselves until they start looking for a faster way to complete their boring school work! So showing them how to count on encourages them to try it.

It is entirely possible to teach counting on at a much you get age than what schools consider "developmentally appropriate" Schools expect it by age 7 but I can assure you it's easy to teach to a class of 4 year olds. They do need to know how to count and they do need to understand number conservation (5 means 5 apples and it is always the same number of apples) for it to help in their addition.

[kiwik]

The other thing you could try is a number line as that makes it obvious you don't need to start at 1 every time.