It can get challenging to think of new ways for practicing numbers over and over! We often have the same students for multiple years and our students don’t make progress as quickly as students without disabilities. That’s why we NEED multiple ways to teach, practice, and review number identification. Here are 10 different ways for practicing numbers with your students.
Direct Instruction
During direct instruction, the staff teaches and practices numbers. Most of my students need a one to one setting in order to learn new skills. We do an hour of direct instruction work centers in my classroom every day. During this time, I break skills down into small segments and teach that small unit of info until mastery. Once students have mastered that small unit, we add in another small segment of the skill. This helps students feel successful and naturally builds in review of mastered skills When teaching about numbers, we use a variety of number concepts materials.
Learn more about our direct instruction work centers: Direct Instruction Work Centers Blog Post
Sensory Bin
We use the materials pictured above, in the sensory bin as well. When practicing numbers, we hide the number cards in the sensory bin and have students find them. Once they find the cards, students take turns identifying the numbers. To reinforce number concepts, you can have students clap or do another gross motor task that many times. Other options include putting the numbers in sequential order, counting to that number, counting on from that number, etc.
Here, we did a different spin on a sensory bin. Using the ice bucket from our multi-sensory polar animals unit, we fished out the number concepts cards.
Memory
An easy and low prep way to target number identification is by playing a memory game. Have students label each number they turn over, so they get lots of opportunities of practicing numbers. This game is a great way to also target attention to task, attending when it is a peer’s turn and taking turns.
Puzzles
Number puzzles are great for working on number identification skills! We have students complete the puzzles during work centers, task bins, when they finish other work before the rest of the class, etc.
Shaving Cream
My students love to play in shaving cream so much, that they don’t even notice that they are practicing numbers! Adding in this sensory component makes the review fun and engaging. To work on number identification, you can…
- Have students write a number for someone else to label
- Ask students to draw out what the number looks like on a die
- Have students write a missing number (in a given set) in the shaving cream
- Dictate numbers for students to write in the shaving cream
- Write numbers in order from 1 to 10
Work Task Boxes
Task boxes are AH-MAZING! You can target just about any skill while teaching your students to work independently. It’s easy to add practicing numbers into task bins or independent work systems. Here are some of the number identification tasks during work task box time:
Read more…. Blog Posts About Task Boxes
Interactive Books
Interactive books are one of my most favorite ways to teach anything!! My students LOVE them, so they naturally attend and participate. This is a page from the Transportation Interactive Books set. Students have to identify the number at the top of the page and then attach that many pictures.
Count The Room
Count the room is an easy and engaging way to practice numbers. We do count and write the room activities for every theme unit. This photo is from our Body Parts and Five Senses Unit. Students have to go around the room or area to find the number cards. Students need to count the number of objects on the card and then circle the correct number. Not only is this an engaging way of practicing numbers, but it combines learning and movement which is research supported.
Roll and Cover
These are perfect for practicing numbers. Here’s a FREEBIE to help your students practice. All students need to do it roll a die, identify the number and then color the matching number on their sheet. Tip: save money by buying dice at the dollar store. They even have over-sized ones for students with visual and fine motor issues.
Number Of The Day
We use this poster to practice number identification and number concepts. It offers lots of opportunities to practice numbers!
We follow up with these All About Number sheets:
Do you have a different way you practice number identification? Share it in the comments so we can all learn!!
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