1. NZ Maths
  2. Supporting professional practice
  3. Accelerating learning
  4. Lightbulb moments
  5. Abacus: "teen" numbers

Abacus: "teen" numbers

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“A really good way to help children understand teen numbers is to use the abacus.....”

Teen numbers are challenging because we “say them back to front”: four – teen, while in the symbolic numeral representation the ten comes first. Here representations of teen numbers on an abacus are carefully structured with the number and ten/teen words modelled and emphasised.

Domain: Place value and teen numbers
Transition: 2 → 4
Barrier: Having difficulty reading and making teen numbers.

Other resources:

Numeracy activities: