Okay I know what you are thinking...what the heck is the big deal about the TEN FRAME any way?
I didn't really realize the power it had until my last year teaching. I was sitting in a class that was to educate US teachers on the Singapore Method and Approach to Math, when all of the sudden the light clicked---that's right 24 years later I realized why it was so hard for ME to understand math...I had never grasped the POWER OF 10!!!
It made so much sense. If a child can look at this frame and understand that:
a) at a glance there are 7 counters
b) that without counting each one individually he can tell you in a split second there are 3 missing
c) if you add 3 more counters it would equal 10
d) there are 5 on top and 2 on the bottom, that equals 7
e) 7 + 3 = 10
and so on.
If our brains can understand the root number 10, then as mathematics builds on itself we can begin to understand topics like: rounding numbers, MENTAL MATH (which is SO difficult for so many students)--they are able to visualize the ten frame, addition/subtraction, multiplication/division, grouping numbers, even and odd numbers, word problems and how to strategically represent numbers.
This picture was taken off this site. I love this post and suggest you take a little time to read it! I'm telling you the power of the ten frame is BIG!
Here is an AWESOME website to help your children become more familiar with using the ten frame. Click here to play this game.
Click here to print off your very own TEN FRAME to use with your kiddos at home! (There are over 50 pages so be careful before you press print.)
I am very aware that is only ONE tool to use to help your child understand number sense, but along with other tools this can provide a great resource to lean on when teaching your children the basics of math.
More on the Singapore Method SOON!
2 comments:
hello :) it's me again... what age do you recommend using the 10 frame? i think i kinda messed up the point about the 10 frame when using it with my 4 year old the other day.
I think it is great that you are trying it with your 4 year old, but prior to introducing the frame first make sure that she can understand basic number sense by practicing writing the number, showing the number in a variety of ways, saying the number, and counting up to the number. Once she can do this up to ten and she really has mastered it then move on to the ten frame. Hope this helps!!!
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