Numbers in English. Learning to count in English

The first question that worries parents is: “Isn’t it difficult for children to remember and reproduce numbers in English?” We answer: “On the contrary! Not only is it not difficult, but it’s also pleasant.” You just need to get to know them in a playful, unobtrusive way, especially if the baby is a preschooler.

English numbers and numbers: what do we study and how?

The first thing to start with is the usual numbers from 0 to 9. Below we provide the data necessary for parents: numbers, their “names” and transcription.

0	Zero (oh)	["ziərəu] ([əu])	Zero
1	One		One
2	Two		Two
3	Three	[θriː]	Three
4	Four		Four
5	Five		Five
6	Six		Six
7	Seven	[‘sev(ə)n]	Seven
8	Eight		Eight
9	Nine		Nine
10	Ten		Ten

There are two opinions regarding transcription:

• Children should be taught foreign phonetics right away, that is, use transcription in the classical form.
• You can use a Russified version of pronunciation, for example, 4 - fo, 1 - van or uan.

In our opinion, it is better to resort to the first method in order to immediately place and fix the sounds in their correct form. Unfamiliar cases, for example, interdental [θ] can be played out using the articulation exercise “tongue in a window” (the tip of the tongue looks out of the window formed by the teeth, as if looking out into the street, while the child is asked to blow on the tip of the tongue and let the air out). The result will be the desired sound.

And, having become familiar with the names of numbers, the child will be able to add more complex “names” of numbers from them.

A little about the teaching methodology

First of all, for a preschool child, the game and everything connected with it are of particular interest. Therefore, when learning numbers in English, it is important to use original videos, bright pictures, songs, poems, counting rhymes and other children's interesting things.

Let the learning process not be boring school lessons. Communicate with the child, speak emotionally (of course, in a positive way), use different types of activities, alternate them often enough so that the baby does not have time to get tired. Pay attention to his interest, stimulate it. And under no circumstances force him, especially for preschoolers.

Games, exercises and other “useful things” for children

For a unique workout with the kids, you can use the following ideas.

In a word, there are no limits to imagination. Add some variety to your dull everyday life, go back to your childhood and play with your child. It will be both fun and useful for both! Good luck to you and your children! And finally, a small task:

Say the house number of each animal in English

30 counting songs on English with karaoke option:

At almost every level, English language learners have to deal with numbers and counting. At the elementary level, children learn to count in English from one to five, then from one to ten. Next comes the second ten and the count to one hundred.

And this is not surprising, because numbers surround us everywhere: each house has its own number, several pigeons or sparrows sit in flocks on the street, to prepare a delicious dish you need to use several fruits, vegetables or other products. Therefore, there are many fun exercises for learning numbers in English, from playing Bingo (with numbers) to counting familiar objects in the classroom.

At the same time, you can introduce children to numbers and counting not only in these ways, but also with the help of funny songs.

The five selected songs in English have a simple and clear rhythm that even children 2-3 years old can follow. In addition to the good mood that they will create during an English lesson, children will also be able to remember English numbers from one to ten or even up to 20.

And to make memorization more effective, some songs suggest counting objects in reverse order.

Five little monkeys

The melody of this song is easy for a child to reproduce, and the repeated constructions will help reliably fix English numbers from one to five in memory. In addition, the story of the five naughty monkeys is usually a favorite among children. And she also helps them understand what will happen in the event of such disobedience!

If desired, the song can be used for a short warm-up during class. Children can stand apart from each other or make a big circle and jump together holding hands. In the picture below you can see what movements can accompany the words of the song.

After the next monkey “fell,” we bend one finger on our hand and raise our palm not with five fingers, but with four (with three, with two, with one).

Can you count?

The cheerful characters of the song (the hen and her chicks) to the music count in English those animals and objects that they meet on the way. At the same time, they pronounce the numbers from one to ten several times:

One, two, three,

Four, five, six.

And at the end of the video, the chicken and her babies count everything in reverse order - from ten to one.

In addition, the animals in the song repeat common interrogative constructions several times:

Do you know how to count? – Yes, I know how to count.

Can you count from 1 to 10? – I can count from 1 to 10.

Counting to the music

Although this counting rhyme cannot be called a song as such, it will be interesting for kids to get acquainted with the shape and name of various numbers (from 1 to 20) to the music. In order to remember words better, you can use not only visual and auditory memory, but also tactile memory, for example, by beating out a musical rhythm with your palms (against each other) or with a pencil (on the table).

Ten little airplanes

In the energetic song about ten airplanes, the counting in English is first done from 1 to 10, and then in reverse order, which helps both memorize individual numbers and train the child’s voluntary attention.

You can also invite children not just to watch the video, but also to move along with the airplanes: take a step every time it takes off new character, while spreading your arms to the sides, depicting an airplane.

How many leaves do you see?

Although the song asks children to count only three leaves, it is very convenient to practice the structure of “How many?” . And after the child remembers the song well, it will be possible to cut out the required number of leaves from paper, color them, and then count them. So, while singing the song, you can also repeat the different colors in English with your baby.

Knowing how to count in English is as important as speaking it. In any tourist country, all salespeople, taxi drivers, and hotel staff have a count of up to 20. Are you any worse? In general, you understand what's what. To learn how to count to a million in English, you need to learn only 31 words. But everything is in order. In this article we will learn how to count to 20.

In Russian, to learn numbers, you need to know over 100 words. In English invoice the same rules apply, but it is worth mentioning a couple important points, which will greatly facilitate the process of learning numbers and numbers:

• In English, unlike Russian, numbers are not declined according to gender. If we have “two thousand”, but “two million”, then here it is the same as “two thousand”, as “two million”
• They do not decline according to cases, that is, the endings do not change. Instead of “a thousand - thousand-thousand-thousand...”, for everything the simple word “thousand”
• Also, instead of "1 million - 2 million - 5 million" it all comes down to using one word "million" and no additional endings
• There are no personal names for hundreds. Instead of “two hundred” there will be “two hundred”, instead of “six hundred” the Englishman will say “six hundred”, etc.
• Well, fifthly, there are much fewer exceptions in the English account

Well, now let’s move from theory directly to practice: Numbers from one to ten are the basis of the basics!

Numerous numbers are based on basic numbers- from 1 to 9, you can also include 0 and 10 here. You will just have to memorize these numbers:

Number	English	Translation	English transcription
	One	One		[one]
	Two	Two		[that]
	Three	Three	[θri:]	[sry]
	Four	Four		[fo]
	Five	Five		[five]
	Six	Six		[syks]
	Seven	Seven		[sevn]
	Eight	Eight		[eight]
	Nine	Nine		[nine]
	Ten	Ten		[ten]

Further, the next numbers 11 and 12 are those few exceptions from the top 20. You will have to remember them too. Then everything is much simpler. From the 13th to the 19th the numbers are formed in the same way “digit (3 to 9) + teen”. For example, six + teen = sixteen. Similar to thirteen, fifteen in Russian. This is -eleven and is -teen. The number is written together and read with the emphasis on the last syllable.

Number	English	Translation	English transcription	Transcription in Russian letters
	Ten	Ten		[ten]
	Eleven	Eleven		[ilevn]
	Twelve	Twelve		[tuelv]
	Thirteen	Thirteen	[‘θə:tin]	[shotin]
	Fourteen	Fourteen	['fo:tin]	[photin]
	Fifteen	Fifteen	['fi:ftin]	[fiftin]
	Sixteen	Sixteen	[‘sikstin]	[sykstin]
	Seventeen	Seventeen	[‘sevntin]	[sevntin]
	Eighteen	Eighteen	[‘eitin]	[atein]
	Nineteen	Nineteen	[‘naintin]	[nightteen]
	Twenty	Twenty	['twenti]	[twenty]

There are minor changes here too. In pronunciation they are not noticeable, but in writing it is worth paying attention to the radical changes:

• 13: The spelling of "three" is modified to "thir"
• 15: in the second syllable “five” the v changes to f and the letter “e” disappears
• 18: when adding the suffix “teen” to “eight”, the letter t that appears is not duplicated, but replaced with a single letter

In fact, the ending “teen” is a full-fledged word meaning the age from 13 to 19 years.

It should be taken into account that Russian pronunciation(transcription) - this is only an approximate sound; the specific sound of English numbers cannot be 100% conveyed.

How to teach a child to count in English?

Once you start teaching your children English, it also needs to be taught numeracy. Be sure to do this through play to instill in him a love and desire to learn the language. Here are some ways to teach your child to count in English:

• Buy or download number cards from the Internet. It is better if on each of them it is written in letters and with pronunciation. Lay out the pictures on the floor. Say the number in English, and let the child bring you the card you need or point to it
• The previous game, only the adult already names the number in his native language, and the child takes a card with a number and calls it in a foreign language
• Take the ball. Stand opposite, and throwing the ball into the child’s hands, say the number in a foreign language, and the child, returning the toy to you, says it in his native language.
• Game "Who has more". Turn the cards over with the numbers down, and draw out one picture at a time with your baby. Say the number in English. Whoever has more gets both cards. And so on until the end. The one with the highest amount wins
• Ask your child to draw numbers, give them human features - eyes, hands, and their name will be the name of the number
• Use engaging rhymes that children can easily remember.
• Another option is the game “Crocodile”, but instead of words, the child must turn into a number
• You can also ask your child to draw a number that you will voice in the air.

One of the ways to remember effectively English vocabulary- this is the use of cards (see in the “Cards” section)

If you haven't tried studying this way yet english words, feel free to proceed, as this is one of the most effective ways teaching English.

In this material, we suggest using cards to learn English words on the topic “Numbers”:

• Coloring pages: in English
• / Learn English numbers from 1 to 10 with translation and transcription
• Numerals / Russian-English poems (agreements) on the topic ""

This simple and uncomplicated poem will help children quickly learn numbers from 1 to 10 in English, as well as expand their vocabulary on general topics.

Text of a poem about numbers in English with translation into Russian

Technique for creating cards “Numbers in English”

1. Print the cards on a color printer (two pictures on one A4 page);
2. Cut the page into two parts (or simply fold it in half);
3. Glue so that there is a number on one side and a picture on the other side.
4. Pictures can be laminated (for example, with tape).