Let us Understand Mathematics-KG and Class 1

The focus here is on an understanding of concepts and procedures. The concepts and procedures are presented by manipulatives, pictures, real-world situations, spoken and written words, and symbols and videos that enhance their learning. Opportunities are provided for communication, translation from one mode to another, and applications to daily life. The teachers should use manipulatives that are available or can be made and use situations for exercises that are familiar to the children in the class. 

As the schools in developing countries have a paucity of resources, we will use sticks for activities with number concepts. The sticks can be replaced by abacus or unifix cubes. 

The schools that can afford should provide materials such as counters, unifix cubes, pattern blocks, geometrical models, geoboards, fake money, and use these for explaining concepts and procedures. Or teachers can make models of different 2-D and 3–D shapes using cardboard and use dot paper instead of Geoboard. The students can be asked to bring buttons, scissors, and empty boxes, containers of different shapes and sizes from home. All children should at least have 100 sticks of the same length and rubber bands(they can buy pop sticks or toothpicks) and dot paper.  

As for most teachers, the textbook is the curriculum. This book is a teaching guide cum workbook for students. As the children have not yet developed the reading skills, the concepts, operations, and word problems should be learned and tested orally first. The exercises with manipulatives and oral work are included to facilitate that. 

Some activity sheets are also provided that can be printed and used by students.