RL.E.83 SELECTS BIGGER AND SMALLER

In this activity the child’s concept of ‘big’ and ‘little’ (or small) is extended to include the relative terms ‘bigger’ and ‘smaller’. Such relative terms are prominent in early number work at school.

How to Assess

Materials: 2 sets of objects, each set having 3 similar objects of 3 different sizes. For example, you might have a small, medium and large doll and a small, medium and large car.

Method: Place one set of objects on the table in random order. Point to the middle-sized object and ask ‘Which one is bigger than this?’ Then ask ‘Which one is smaller than this?’

Score plus if your child selects the correct object in at least 4 out of 6 tries.

How to Teach

At the start of your teaching session, place the middle-sized object on the table and name it –

‘Look, I’ve got a dolly’.

Then say: ‘Here’s another dolly. This dolly is SMALLER And here’s a dolly that is BIGGER.’

Ask the questions as described under How to Assess, guiding your child towards the correct item as in RL.C.54 and RL.C.55.

If your child does not make progress with this approach, you can help her by placing boxes or circles of cardboard of similar size to your big and small objects at either end of the table, Point to the middle-sized object and say ‘Put the doll that is BIGGER than this in the BIGGER box’. Repeat for smaller. Phase out the boxes or circles when your child has mastered this step.

Playtime and Round-the-house Activities

Much of the teaching of this skill can be done in play, and ‘pretending’ games are ideal. Pretend to get a large doll ready for an outing. Have a range of props – small, middle-sized and large hats, scarves, bags and so on. Choose a middle-sized item (say, a hat) and say: ‘Is this the right one for Dolly? No, she needs a bigger one.’ You can emphasise the concept of ‘smaller’ by playing a similar game with a small doll. You could play at matching the right sizes of cups, plates and spoons to 3 dolls for different sizes at a tea-party. This will give you opportunities to talk about things that are ‘middle sized’, as well as ‘bigger’ and ‘smaller’.

Such games require prior organisation, but you can also take advantage of situations that come up naturally – when playing with blocks, for instance, or when setting the table (‘Baby needs a smaller spoon’) or when shopping together (‘Can you find a bigger pineapple?’). Natural comparisons occur in families, especially with brothers and sisters. ‘Sally is bigger/smaller than you – her shoes are bigger/smaller. Her fingers are bigger/smaller’ and so on.

Remembering and Extending

Other relative terms that your child could learn include ‘longer’ and ‘shorter’, ‘harder’ and ‘softer’ and ‘rougher’ and ‘smoother’.

You can also introduce the terms ‘biggest’ and ‘smallest’.

Note the relationship between this item and FM.H.104, where the child learns to arrange a set of blocks in order of size.