Place value within 10 - Counting backwards - Presentation

The concept of counting backwards is a fundamental skill in understanding place value within the number range of 10, and it is introduced to students through a series of engaging activities. The presentation prompts a discussion about the use of counting skills to complete a number track, and whether it is necessary to always start from 0 or 1. Students are encouraged to think about whether numbers are increasing or decreasing and to use classroom resources, such as a number line or working wall, to support their learning. The activities are designed to help students recognise patterns in numbers, with emphasis on the direction in which they count, and to identify what numeral comes before or after a given number.

Several counting backwards exercises are provided, where students complete number tracks with missing numerals, ensuring they understand the concept of decrementing numbers. The activities range from simple sequences to more complex ones, where students must fill in the gaps or match numerals to a visual representation such as cubes, observing the decreasing pattern. Reasoning tasks challenge students to articulate how they know if counting is forwards or backwards and to consider different starting points for counting down to a specific number. Independent work further consolidates their understanding, as they fill in spaces on tables and determine the direction of counting, all while reinforcing the idea that counting does not always begin at 10 and that numbers can get smaller as they count backwards.