Tactile Learners

Posted on Jan 09, 2009 under xn--zqqs84h3is.com | edit
  • Any suggestions on how to teach my 5 year old his numbers. He is doing great on his phonics, but really struggling with his numbers. His teacher says he is a tactile learner, so any suggestions.



    have him write the numbers in some sand or shaving cream.


  • I link that if he hasnt learned 0-10 have him say the numbers (you help) and count with fingers. Tactile kids tend to need body movment or phisical touching and feeling to learn best (im one of those learners) also this will imply visual and auditory as well because you will eventually be able to put up an amount of fingers, ask how many there are and he will see it, use his fingers to count (tactile and visual) then say the number and hear it (auditory). i think this way will also help him on his other learning types and not just concentraite on one of them. gl and i hope this helps


  • I've found that the refrigerator magnets in the shape of numbers ( letters) can be helpful. Have your child trace the shape of the number while helping him say the number's name. The combination of auditory and tactile should help.


  • Dear Friend,you can try counting bears(available at discount stores)along with magnet numbers.Try putting the number in front of your child.Say the number have him repeat it,then have him count the right number of bears out next to the number.Also, try what I call What's Missing Game.Cut out numbers 0-10 to start or use those magnets.Place on table.Then with a dish towel or what ever, you cover numbers with the towel.Abracadbra!(Slip out a number without letting your child see which one is missing). Ask you child whats missing.The kids in my class really love this game.Good Luck.


  • I Used Racing Cars To Teach My Son His Numbers And Colors. He Was In Love With Cars So That Was What I Used. I Would Ask Him To Please Pick Up The Red Car With The Number 5 Or Whatever Number Was Written On The Car. After About 3 Weeks He Knew What Numbers He Was Being Asked Then I Used Other Things With Numbers On Them. You Can Create Things From Construction Paper. Don't Use Money Buying Things. I Later Cut Out Shapes Of Cars And Had Him Match Them Later Go To Animals Shapes To Make Sure He Understands The Number On Anything He Sees. Cheap But Creative Is The Answer. Have Fun!!


  • There are poems out there to recite when learning a number..... for example.... 1 Straight down and then your done. That's the way to make a one! 2 Around and back on the railroad track. Two, Two, Two! 3 Around the tree, around the tree. That's the way to make a three! 4 Down and over and down some more. That's the way to make a four! 5 Put on a hat. Then take a dive. Make a big round tummy Now that's a five! 6 Make a loop and then a hoop! Six! 7 Across the sky and down from heaven. That's the way to make a seven! 8 Make an 's' but do not wait. Go back up and close the gate. 9 Make a hoop and then a line. That's the way to make a nine!

    Have your child draw the numbers in sand, salt, shaving cream, mud, pudding or rice. Encourage him/her to repeat the poem as he/she is writing the number. You can even cut out the numbers from sand paper. Have your child trace the cut out number while saying the poem.

    Good luck, hope it helps!


  • A montessori school is an excellent option for tactile learners. The classroom materials offer everything they need to learn. Throughout the day they have the ability to get the gross motor movement that tactile/kinesthetic learners need. Also, students with Montessori backgrounds learn to take responsibility for their own learning. That is, they do not sit and wait for an adult to pontificate to them; they are provided with the tools and means to research the curiosities that Montessorians ignite daily with authentic samples of any and every concept being taught.

    Children who enter my first grade classroom from Montessori preschools read, on average, at a level 6 months beyond those who enter after not having attended such a school.

    Some things that Montessori teachers do IN the classroom on a daily basis follow (although they would not recommend putting a pen in a child's hand before his fine motor skills are more developed, to prevent a student from learning poor utensil grasp which hinders mastery of penmanship.

    Try writng the number on your child's hand or back with an empty roll on bottle or your finger. Then have him write it in sand, flour or salt on a cookie tray. Do rainbow writing starting with a yellow pen then having him write it several times and saying it with different colored pens. Then you can do dot numbers leading up to less and less dots. Finally, copying the number.

    Once he can independently write the numbers have him count the objects and write the number. But during this whole time there are thousands of things the two of you can count together. Steps, trees, cars... I'm sure you get the idea. Good luck!

    Also, visit an accredited Montessori school to see if your child may thrive in such an environment.

    Jill Upshaw
    Live Oak Elementary
    Fallbrook, CA


  • Use all of the tactile things in his world. At the supermarket, have him count out 6 apples or whatever fruit you happen to be buying. Count the number of pages in his favorite book,12 eggs in an egg box. Look at the numbers written on things - 8oz. of juice in a juice box, 16 breakfast bars in a box, exit numbers on the highway. Guess the number of french fries in a sm. order of fries at Mc Donald's and then count them. Was your number bigger or smaller? How many shoelace holes are in your shoe? Then, you can show him skip counting or counting by 2's. Draw the numbers with squeeze bottles of ketchup on a plate ( you can sometimes get both the ketchup and paper plates real cheap at the Dollar Store). Form the numbers with play dough or stamp them out with cookie cutters in the shapes of numbers. Use the calendar. What is today's date, yesterday's date, tomorrow's date. How many day's 'til...? Get a teaching thermometer or draw one. Mark the degrees by 10's. Count by 10's. Listen to the news to find out today's temperature then mark it on the thermometer drawing. Is it hotter or colder than...? Which 2 numbers does is come between (ex. 65 comes between 60 and 70). Use the clock in a similar way to count by 5's. Be creative!


  • Send him to a Montessori School; there, materials to manipulate are provided for 99% of all concepts taught. He'll love it!!!!!







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