Click on this image to download your FREE game :)
Following on from my last post, I have created this game especially as a freebie for my wonderful blog friends. It is a printable game for teaching addition - and especially for encouraging students to "count-on".
Do you know which of your students can count-on? Do a very quick assessment at the beginning of your teaching unit on addition. Have on your desk a pile of red counters and a pile of blue counters. Put a number of each (say, 5 red and 4 blue) in front of the student you are testing. Ask them to tell you how many they have altogether. Most students will probably count from one. Make a note of the strategies they used. If they just announce a number, ask them "how did you count?". Now tell them that you will play a little game with them, and it is a bit tricky. Put 5 red counters out and tell them "here are 5 red counters" then tell them you will hide them. Conceal the counters with a piece of paper. Now tell your student that you will give them three more blue counters - place these on top of the paper. Ask the student to tell you how many counters there are altogether. Pay particular attention to how they go about working it out. The student is not able to move the piece of paper. Some students will count from one (not counting on), others will be able to "count on" and say 5.....6, 7, 8, you may even have some students that have memorised some addition facts. Some students will make no attempt or have a guess (I did have a student once that tried to get under the table to see under the paper!).
This quick, informal assessment will give you vital information about the strategies your students are using to attempt addition. Students that are making no attempt, will not be up to playing a game such as this one - they will need more practise combining groups, recognising and memorising dot-pattern arrangements (so they can hold a number picture in their mind).