Mathematics is a special science, since its knowledge is needed by a person every day throughout his life. Acquaintance with some mathematical concepts, the formation of computational skills and the ability to solve problems begins in the preschool period - in kindergarten or at home with parents. At the stage of education in elementary school, the set of concepts studied, formed skills is greatly expanded.
The task of the teacher and parents is to achieve high strength assimilation of mathematical skills. Such an approach makes it possible to make the stock of knowledge gained at school a personal baggage of a person, which he will be able to dispose of at his own discretion in later life. Great help in the formation of computational skills is provided by such a type of activity as verbal counting.
Purpose of conducting an oral account
Using oral computing in a lesson can have different purposes. Let's consider some of them.
- Every teacher knows: the whole course of the lesson depends on its beginning. Considering that most children like to consider it orally, you can put this type of work first and thus set the rhythm for the whole activity.
- An oral account can be a good reception for updating the knowledge available to children, which will allow the teacher to effectively organize further study of the topic.
- This type of work can be included in order to generalize, consolidate knowledge of the sections of the program.
- To monitor the level of formation of computational skills, a control verbal account is used.
What are the requirements?
The requirements for the organization of oral computing must be taken into account, otherwise the work may have the opposite effect or the result will be minimal.
Firstly, the selection of tasks should be varied in the content of the material, the form of its presentation. Remember that monotony kills interest and brings boredom.
Secondly, it is extremely important when selecting tasks to take into account the individual characteristics of students. There may be strong and weak students in the class, insecure, timid, shy and very active children. The teacher must consider how to make the work productive for each of them.
The level of difficulty of the tasks should correspond to the level of development of students at the moment of training. Excessive requirements will lead to suppression of the initiative, and this may adversely affect the psychological atmosphere of the lesson. The tasks of the lowered level of complexity do not fulfill the training and developmental function.
The next important requirement is the regularity of classes. Pupils must complete daily tasks in mathematics for 5-10 minutes (at least!) That require oral calculations. Subject to this condition, one can hope that children will learn to count quickly and correctly.
Types of Exercises for Oral Counting
If we talk about the types of exercises for counting, then you must first decide on their classification. Its basis may be the content of tasks, teaching methods used in the work, sections of the program in mathematics, the age of students, etc.
So, for example, oral exercises may include tasks of an algebraic or geometric nature, issues of numbering numbers, problem solving.
Mathematical dictations, tests, oral answers of children in frontal or individual interviews are techniques that a teacher can use to conduct an oral count. Grade 1 takes great interest in didactic games of various kinds. In tasks for oral counting, material can be used that contains historical information about the development of mathematics, as well as non-standard tasks of increased complexity.
Presentation form
An oral account at mathematics lessons forms the ability to understand the essence of a task without additional explanations and interpretations. Given this, the teacher should always remember how important it is to clearly formulate tasks and give short, understandable instructions. This is especially significant when students perceive the assignment by ear.
Tests are often used for oral counting. Here, in addition to computational skills, the child must have the ability to perceive the language of mathematics in writing, which can be difficult due to the age characteristics of children or the insufficient level of formation of the reading technique.
The legitimate question is whether it is always possible to use test items to conduct an oral score? Grade 4 is a period when tests can be more effective at work. But at the same time, the teacher is required to be able to concisely and correctly formulate tasks.
Subject to all the requirements for the test methodology, they can begin to be used in 2-3 grades of elementary school.
How to organize work
There is a huge variety of forms for organizing and conducting oral accounts, but the so-called question-answer is most often used.
When choosing this method of organizing work, the teacher believes that each student in the class will fulfill the task proposed to him and, upon request, voice his own answer. An important point is the ability of the teacher to track the activity of students, to understand the reasons for the passive behavior of the child during work.
Perhaps the teacher will have to adjust them in order to complete the tasks in order to create a success situation for each student.
What results can be obtained
The regular use of such a technique as an oral count has a positive effect on the development of memory, speech, and attention of the child. In addition, an important educational action is being formed - the ability to perceive the essence of the task and meaningfully carry it out.
An oral account in mathematics is of great importance in developing communication skills - children learn to express their own point of view, hear their interlocutor, and respond positively to the comments of teachers and classmates.
With the regular use of oral counting, the level of computational skills can be brought to automatism, which will greatly facilitate the work on many topics of the program in primary grades and with subsequent training in middle and high school.
The use of oral accounts in the work on the formation of UUD
Oral exercises that are regularly included in the lesson, together with tasks of a different kind, will assist in the formation of the ECM (universal educational activities), which is stipulated by the Federal State Educational Standard of 2009.
- At the initial stage of training, in terms of the development of personal UUD in each class, work is planned to form a positive attitude towards school and mathematics lessons. Significant help in this will have an oral account. Grade 4 is supplemented by the tasks of forming such important qualities as high self-esteem, optimism in life, and self-esteem.
- Regulatory UUD can also be successfully formed in the course of work where an oral account is used; Grade 1 is aimed at teaching a child to perceive a learning task. With further training, this skill develops. By the time they finish primary school, children not only perceive the educational task, but also keep it in memory, strictly follow the instructions of the teacher, and make their own corrections to the task.
- In the formation of cognitive universal educational actions with the correct organization, you can also use oral counting. Grade 3 (mathematics) forms the ability to compare and contrast the analyzed objects, classify them, and establish relations between concepts. This work begins already in the 1st and 2nd grades of the school, and in the fourth it receives further development and deepening.
- The formation of communicative learning activities through verbal counting was discussed in the article above. The existence of different points of view about mathematical concepts and the ability to apprehend them appropriately is the main thing that a teacher should teach his students.
Developing the skill of oral computing outside of school
Parents, at least in general terms, should know the school’s position in terms of developing the skills discussed in the article, understand the role of oral computing in the life of their child, and remember that you can do math at home. But this should not be boring monotonous studies at the desk. Parents have the opportunity to organize a role-playing or didactic game, during which you can achieve the desired results. For classes of this kind, you can attract all family members, including younger ones. A schoolchild in this case can fulfill, for example, the role of a teacher. You can count on a walk, on the way to school, when the child does not perceive the lesson as a lesson.
Didactic tools for the formation of computational skills
Many modern publishers of children's and educational literature publish a series of books for children aimed at developing mathematical skills, including oral ones. Such literature can be a good helper for teachers and parents. Tasks in notebooks are selected taking into account the age of the child. And some publishers take into account the requirements of the school curriculum.
Extremely diverse multimedia products. They cause even more interest in children than books and notebooks. Their use is very effective. Do not just forget about compliance with the sanitary and hygienic requirements that apply to working on a computer. Modern children can perceive a board game familiar to adults with dice and chips as something unusual. Therefore, its use for the development of mathematical skills should not be ruled out either.
To summarize the above, I would like to draw attention once again to the fact that oral counting, tricks and methods of its implementation are an integral part of the entire system of teaching a mathematics course in elementary grades.