January 7, 2025

What teachers need to know about teaching place value!

I recently watched a group of students playing a computer game centered on place value.

Watching them play the game I observed who easily played through the levels and who had trouble advancing.

As a teacher my mind went to task analyzing what was needed as a foundation in order to understand place value.

Place Value – Use a checklist

With that in mind here is a checklist to determine if students have the necessary skills to understand place value.

If students don’t have these skills, STOP and teach these essential building blocks or your students will struggle with this cornerstone of mathematics throughout the year.

1.Fluency in stating, identifying, reading and writing digit names

a. Mastery requires modeling and repeated practice/drill

2.Comprehension of digit value

a. Mastery requires modeling and repeated practice/drill

3. Counting and comprehension of quantity of groups (skip counting by 2, 5, 10)

a. Mastery requires modeling and repeated drill

4.Representing groups of numbers

a. Mastery requires modeling and repeated practice to develop understanding and the ability to reason with that understanding

5.Firm understanding of the columns on a place value chart and what each column represents.

a. Mastery requires modeling and repeated practice to develop understanding and the ability to reason with that understanding

Assess Prior Knowledge

Young students can develop a strong understanding of of this math concept when, for example, teachers assess their knowledge base before diving into the concept.

Therefore, make sure your students have the foundation they need in order to create a solid understanding.

Once you are confident that your students have mastered the foundational elements, then move on to place value and watch them zoom!

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Check out more on how to teach place

value here!

Let’s Teach!

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Fun to Teach offers a variety of games and activities that help build these essential math skills in young mathematicians.

As a result, students can engage with the material in a hands-on way, reinforcing their understanding while having fun.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OUR MULTIPLICATION RESOURCES, GAMES AND ACTIVITIES!

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