If you are using some type of concrete representation for numbers, such as numicon (which I recommend HIGHLY), one can teach the fact that each type of coin has a separate VALUE by taping/placing the coin over the representation. [I scanned the numicon, and the money, and put one picture on top of the other, printed, cut, and laminated, and re-cut. This way the money can’t fall off.]
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIE5BXH01MjVJs6ntjkfN_BG1EkZ9DIFafMZqE-0Nf6gc2P7tvFmi0r9OqExo0T25y0is51ZQ9PMWWVfYtz6ehKbhk224Ls13qA8Kv_Xj0i_sh0bFyauQgLScRYrnIXFaMZg4zLcX8k3Q/s320/cut+out+numicon++1+2+5+with+money+A.bmp)
I also made several scanned copies of the coins alone, to be used in counting in 2’s and 5’s practice.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DFqeBvU0mHZBGeOCPPMCYjQTEtAEoMlN5T-V9ifJLgSGrrgF-30iOzBcJVbpnbmrIvlBHvgjanOuEa1cBpTBvhOq5DyKJc0IjAQCQNvltXku8FG1GIUmwTljkNEPFhl04lBICkj6Cdo/s320/money+equals+money+SAMPLE.bmp.jpg)
Now “teaching how to manage money and how to make decisions about spending, saving and giving” is still mostly beyond our experience. I did notice that Woodbinehouse’s book Teaching Math to People with Down Syndrome and Other Hands-On Learners
Book 1 has a good game to work on this problem.
It seems to me that a good place to start would be to make a running commentary on my own purchases when I am with her. How much things cost, why I am choosing this and not that (quality versus price), and to gradually, as she absorbs the information (ie, she knows that a bottle of soda juice costs 1.5 to 2 dollars), involve her in the decision making process. Also it would help to often give the child a choice: I am willing to buy you X or Y, so that they can see that you don’t always buy ALL.
Another skill needed is that of returning defective objects, and avoiding being made into a "sucker". I have posted on that HERE.
and (a lesson in "watching out")HERE
A final note: to any of you who may be reading from here in Israel, Mattach has an excellent computer game (see HERE) on money matters, for the special-needs population. It covers everything from recognising coins and bills, paying the correct amount, knowing the amount of chance deserved, and a bit about social aspects of money (what is a wage, etc). You can make its menu only show what you are interested that the child work on. This is not a replacement for one-on one teaching, but Ricki LOVES it, and I find it to be a very good "practice your skills" program.
4 comments:
Wonderful post. Maybe I should make cards like that for my granddaughters. They like math.
Great ideas, and I love the visuals that you made.
I find that if I don't explain what I am doing and why, Michael makes up his own reasons in his head, which can become problematic in the future. So this is a good reminder to be continually educating him.
I love the pictorial teaching method and I'd like to try it with my younger ones. Understanding the value of coins -- and bills! -- is always a challenge. So is the idea of getting change back. Elder P always misunderstood that one - she thought I was always coming out ahead, whenever I got change back.
Hi - see other ideas for using the Numicon paterns to teach money with their free teaching tips.
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