What is this little girl doing?
I didn't think this girl was going to stop. Way to go! This is a great performance. The little girl in this clip is showing excellent concentration and attention, an understanding of pattern and repetition, as well as great reading.
Like the alphabet, children find it quite easy to recite number sequences they learn from songs, but being able to read numerals on a page is much more difficult. It's all too easy to lose position on the page and just recite sounds from memory.
How is she doing it?
This little girl has learned the principle of the decimal system to her advantage. She has recognized the pattern that the units cycle through zero to nine for every increment in the tens. This is a first step in understanding multiplication.
What's particularly impressive is the way she just keeps on going. It takes some time to finish, and she doesn't give up. Even when she's uncertain or loses her place, looking to Mom for guidance, she manages to find her place on the list again and keep going.
The payoff at the end is truly rewarding—the expression on her face as she reaches 100, knowing she's got it right, and basking in Mom's praise is heart-warming.
What’s next?
Where to go from here? Learning number sequences is the first step in building on a child's intuitive understanding of numbers. Being able to read numerals is base for learning about simple abstract mathematical operations like addition and subtraction. This then progresses to using numbers in everyday situations like counting and sharing out sweets or learning the difference between less than and more than. This type of counting indicates that children are learning about the relationship between numbers.
This is a fascinating time in a child’s development. I’d love to see more videos of children putting their number skills to good use.
