‘Teen’ and ‘ty’ confusion may not always be obvious. It is important to be aware that a child who struggles with ‘teen’ and ‘ty’ numbers may be able to read and write these numbers correctly when asked to do so. However, when combined with other activities, such as counting forwards or backwards, or answering simple addition/subtraction calculations, mistakes may arise.

Seemingly random incorrect answers to questions involving such numbers may be due to an underlying confusion which needs addressing.

When asking a pupil to add 1 to a number, or write or say the next number, look out for seemingly random answers which actually stem from confusion with teen and ty numbers. This can involve a little detective work!

Click here to see the type of mistakes to look for.