Math Misconceptions

K.CC.1-3

Look closely at errors in students’ work (formative assessment) to help you reflect and

make instructional decisions to suit all students’ needs.

As students are becoming familiar with the counting sequence, they may disorder the number names and skip numbers, especially the teen numbers. Repeated practice with the counting sequence (i.e., chanting, songs, audio podcasts) will help students memorize the order of numbers. As students work with counting, the change in decade often is challenging, so they may need prompts after reaching numbers like 59 or 69. Memorization of the words for decades (twenty, thirty, forty, etc.) is essential also. MISCONCEPTION:

WHAT TO DO:

Sing songs or listen to audio of counting. Some suggestions include:

“Numbers Help Me Count” by Mark D. Pencil and Friends

(counting from 1-10)

“Counting to Twenty” by Twin Sisters

(counting to 20)

“I Can Count to 100” by Mark D. Pencil and Friends

(counting from 1-100)

“Counting by 10’s” by Mark D. Pencil and Friends

(counting by 10’s)

“Counting by Tens” by Twin Sisters

(counting by 10’s)

(All above titles are available from Amazon for $0.99 each mp3 download.)

The counting numbers (natural numbers) start at 1. However, as students begin from given numbers other than 1, they will often omit or repeat numbers or make errors in the known sequence. Once you have students begin counting from a number other than 1, students may need oral prompts to continue from the given number. Break up the number counting sequence into smaller groups to help with success, and remember to only count from a given number within the student’s known sequence. MISCONCEPTION:

WHAT TO DO:

When writing numbers, there are two types of mistakes students can make. One is a number reversal. A reversal means that the numeral is written backwards, and it is a developmentally appropriate mistake for children through age 8. Another mistake that students make is to write the digits of a two-digit number in the wrong order (creating a different number altogether). When writing the teen numbers students may write the ones digit in front of the 1 (“seven-teen” – first writing a 7 then a 1 instead of 17). Have students practice forming the numbers correctly, starting from the top and moving downward as often as possible. Repeated practice with the correct formation is the best way to help minimize errors. MISCONCEPTION:

17 objects

WHAT TO DO:

Below is a reversal of the numeral 7, and it is a correct representation of 17 objects.

17 objects