Teacher's tips

Level of Education: Preschool - Elementary School

Age: 5 to 12 years old

This game aims at helping students learn the numbers from 1-100 spoken and written in four different languages. It will show students the logical sequence of the numbers while working with other languages, reinforcing the importance of interdisciplinarity in the learning process. [FIM-DICA]

Learner outcomes

Say and memorize the numerical system from 1 to 100;

To develop logical thinking and understand the concept of 'number' playfully;

To recognize the names of the numbers and their representation;

To systematize ways of registering quantities;

To stimulate logical thinking;

To use the game as a path to problem-solving

To learn the numbers in other languages;

To comprehend other languages.

Teachers' goals

To offer audiovisual resources so that students understand that each numerical symbol is associated with a word.

To stimulate counting;

To show students characteristics of the decimal numerical system;

To highlight the regularity of changes starting from the number 9;

To emphasize that the decimal numerical system has ten as its base;

To assure students understand that our numerical system is positional (the value of a number depends on its position).

Suggestions of approaches for the teacher

(Approach 1) Encourage students to count their objects and write that in their notebooks. Ask them to count in different languages. They can count using one language at a time.

(Approach 2) Students can play the games individually or in groups. Assure each of them gets to share their ideas even when they are not playing. Students can write the numbers in their notebooks and then write their names in different languages.

(Approach 3) Hopscotch from 0 to 10. Ask students to count in ascending and descending order while they are jumping.

(Approach 4) Ask students to listen and repeat the number of the egg altogether (the teacher can establish a limit). Then, stimulate them to associate the sequence of numbers with their places in the classroom. This activity will help them comprehend the regularity of the numbers since they will visualize them once they count their positions in the classroom. It also stimulates the memorization and the appropriation of natural numbers so that students can realize the relation between predecessors and successors.

(Approach 5) When teaching an additional language, the teacher must first stimulate oral comprehension and show students the relation between words and their written form. You can practice it with the numbers, reinforcing the pronunciation of the phonemes. It is fundamental that the teacher pays attention to students' pronunciation to make sure that they are pronouncing it correctly. Only after that, the teacher should present the students with the written forms of the numbers, assuring that it is done following the numerical sequence.

(Approach 6) Encourage students to look at dictionary words from their daily lives in other languages.

More about the content

WHY LEARN LANGUAGES

Early Childhood & Elementary

It's never too early to begin learning a language: it's fun, it promotes healthy development, and the many cognitive and social benefits will last a lifetime. Here are some of the reasons why learning a language puts your child at a significant advantage, and how you can help—whether or not you know another language.

Benefits

Give Them a Head Start

Children who learn another language before age five use the same part of the brain to acquire that second language that they use to learn their mother tongue. Younger learners are also uninhibited by the fear of making mistakes, which is sometimes an obstacle for older beginners.

Start Early, Stay Long!

The length of time a student is able to devote to learning a language has a direct and positive correlation to cognitive development. Longer sequences also provide the opportunity for learners to grow alongside the additional language and culture, developing a deeper connection as they mature.

Feed Their Brains

Research shows that learning a second language boosts problem-solving, critical-thinking, and listening skills, in addition to improving memory, concentration, and the ability to multitask. Children proficient in other languages also show signs of enhanced creativity and mental flexibility.

Boost Their Academic Achievement

The cognitive benefits of learning a language have a direct impact on a child's academic achievement. Compared to those without an additional language, bilingual children have improved reading, writing, and math skills, and they generally score higher on standardized tests.

Nurture Their Curiosity, Cultural Sensitivity, Empathy, and Tolerance

Children who are exposed early to other languages display more positive attitudes to the cultures associated with those languages. The experience of learning a language introduces them to the world in ways they might otherwise have not experienced.

Don't Hesitate: Go for Two… or Three

Contrary to popular belief, young children are not confused by the introduction of multiple languages at the same time. Not only do they naturally navigate multilingual environments, but acquiring a second language early in life primes the brain to learn multiple other languages, opening a world of opportunities for later on.

What You Can Do to Help Your Child

Whether you are bilingual or this is your first experience with another language, your support will make a tremendous difference to your child's success. You don't have to be fluent in the language your child is learning in order to create an encouraging and active learning environment. Provide as many opportunities for authentic experiences as you can and check out the many online tools and resources available at your fingertips.

Source: https://www.leadwithlanguages.org/why-learn-languages/early-childhood-elementary/