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teaching the concept of higher numbers


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I am stuck...... I have some children who have been asking questions and trying to work out why 11 is not eleventeen or 12 is not twelveteen? 11, 12, 13, 15, 20 make no sense but 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 is identifiable because it has the number in it.

How can I explain this?

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well according to an english language site in a way Melba is right.....we used to count in 12's (think eggs/dozens/gross) and in fact until decimalisation we used to use 12's for lots of things. (like german) but it now seems a bit out of place...perhaps you could teach them using egg boxes!

I suspect the fifteen not fiveteen is just abbreviation.

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Im not really sure what you feel you need to explain, they are number names.

Try some counting rhymes that have these numbers in to familiarise the children with them just as you do with smaller numbers, or even just keep counting to establish the number sequence.

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Im not really sure what you feel you need to explain, they are number names.

 

i am one of those people who would want to know why....i used to drive my maths teacher mad asking why we did things (often told just because we do!!!)

i actually think it's a really good thing that they are asking...shows curiosity in using numbers!!!

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It's not that I'm wanting to teach this because I think I should!!!

it's because the children are asking as they are trying to make sense of it bit being five teen because it had the five at the beginning. Just like seventeen starts with seven. I thought maybe someone had come across this before and may have a logical answer.

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It's not that I'm wanting to teach this because I think I should!!!

it's because the children are asking as they are trying to make sense of it bit being five teen because it had the five at the beginning. Just like seventeen starts with seven. I thought maybe someone had come across this before and may have a logical answer.

I know what you mean, their questions feel like they need a better answer than just because... I have a boy at the moment who is trying hard to spell using his very early knowledge of phonics and those conversations are just as interesting!

maybe as suggested it would be good to devise some interesting games using those very special numbers, make a fuss of those numbers in some way, maybe make up some rap rhymes to chant and clap to

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