1:1 correspondence is an important skill to teach a student when they are beginning to learn math and different math concepts. This is the skill of counting one object while simultaneously saying a number, it is the ability to pair each item counted with a number. I will show you 3 different ways to teach this concept.
1:1 CORRESPONDENCE USING 3D OBJECTS
One of the first ways I begin to teach 1:1 correspondence is by using counting cubes. This gives students an opportunity to touch each item with their finger, feel the object, all while simultaneously counting the object at the same time. I then will present the student with numbers in a field of 3 and have them choose the corresponding number. To give this activity another tactile element, I used index cars with sandpaper numbers on them for my students to feel and trace with their fingers.
I like to incorporate my students preferred items when doing this activity. By incorporating their preferred item, it increases their willingness to comply with the task and then as soon as they are done, they are able to play with the toy as a reinforcement. In the above picture I am using magnetic blocks. This is a favorite toy in my classroom and can be found here.
1:1 CORRESPONDENCE USING A TEN FRAME
Another way to teach this is by using a ten frame. In this activity, the student will place dots in a ten frame, count the dots and then match the dots to the corresponding number. Using a ten frame is a great to visually represent the quantity of the number. In this photo, I am using a magnetic ten frame to reduce the possibility of loosing pieces. This ten frame activity can be found here.
USING A WHITEBOARD
This activity is using a 2D approach to teach this skill. Using a white board and drawing a certain number of dots, paired with numbers presented in a field of 3, is a simple and quick way to teach 1:1 correspondence. This activity can be made more advanced by writing more dots. This activity is nice when there is a time constraint because it requires very minimal supplies and clean up.
Teaching 1:1 correspondence can be easy and fun! What is your favorite way to teach this skill? Let me know in the comments below!
For more information on other ways to teach 1:1 correspondence, check out this blog here!
