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Math for delayed kindergarten


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Our second daughter (age 5) will be starting "kindergarten" this next fall. Due to a VERY hard/sick first year of life she is delayed in some areas, math being one of them. Our latest victory in the math world is her counting 2 objects. I don't think she would recognize the number 2 written, but she'll now count to two and we're so excited for her (small accomplishments can be huge sometimes, can't they). :) We've been playing number games and just taking things slow and steady, but I've been wondering depending on summer progress, is there a "program" for delayed math or should we simply keep status quo until she's ready for a program? Like I know (unless we make great strides before fall) addition is way out of the picture. Thank you for your thoughts!

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I don't know that it's a delayed program per se but Counting with Numbers (R&S) combined with maybe the Numbers book from MP would go over the numbers a lot more than the other programs I've seen. I would add some counting blocks (like Unifix or 'linking cubes'), bears, whatever counting manipulative she would like (they make bugs, fruits, dinosaurs, etc....or you could use beans or any other thing to count) for her to be able to see and physically count them. With MP junior K, they do 1 number a week but you could definitely slow it down and keep working on the manipulatives and reinforcing the link between the quantity, counting, and the numeral itself.

 

They would both include writing the numbers. If she can't do that, then just orally do the lessons and maybe add practicing the writing part in sand, shaving cream, chalk board, play dough, etc.... Even just tracing the numbers with her finger would be good to help work on the learning the design/layout of the numeral.

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A simple thing that you could with her?

Uses 8 blocks. Where you have 4 and she has 4. With 4 blocks of same color.

You put from 1 to 4 blocks together in front of you.

Then she puts the same number of blocks down in front of her.

 

Then pick them up and put down a different number of blocks.

When she do this easily.

Next, put down perhaps 2 blocks, which then does.

But instead of picking them up?

Add an extra block to yours. Which she does as well.

Using different combinations of: 1+1, 2+1 and 3+1.

 

From this, do 1+2 and 2+2. Adding 2 blocks, rather than 1.

 

After this, change to taking 1 block away, after you put them down.

Then onto taking 2 blocks away.

 

Finally, put down 2 blocks next to each other, and divide them apart. Followed by 4 dividing 4 blocks.

 

But importantly when doing this, don't mention any numbers at this stage.

Wait until she can copy your group of blocks easily and instantly recognizes the size of your group.

Then you can introduce the names/ numbers for each group, as you form them.

 

From this, as you add or take away a block or blocks?

Say: add 1 block, add 2 blocks, etc.

Which she then says as she does it.

Then say take away 1 block, etc.

Followed by saying divide the blocks.

 

One other thing, is for you to sit on her left side.

Also describe her group of blocks as being the 'same as yours', and wait until she clearly understand her group of blocks as the being the same size.

When you can then explain the word 'equal' as meaning the same size.

 

Also just limit it to working with 4 blocks at this stage.

With 5 being introduced later. Where 5 uses a single block of different color, to represent a group of 5.

 

So rather than counting 2 objects or blocks?

The aim is to develop an immediate recognition of different sized groups, which are called 2,3 or 4.

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Just curious, but is it that she never recognizes the number of objects in a group, (ie- cannot tell you if a group of 10 is larger than a group of 4) or that when asked cannot answer your questions about number correlation?

 

 

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