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Katherine Figueroa
Math Research
Counting with Fingers
Children in school are first taught and encouraged to use their fingers when
counting or solving arithmetic in the early elementary years. Finger counting is a
system or tool that many early elementary level children learn to use when
solving math problems. However, as children move up into the higher grades,
their use of fingers as a strategy to count are discouraged and no longer as
prevalent in problem solving. There are stages that exist which demonstrate
logic of how children learn about numbers, their name, and their relationship to
objects. Once those principles are learned, beginning arithmetic is the next step
into their continuation of mathematical learning. With that enters the introduction
of finger counting and the ways in which it is used and whether or not the use of
finger counting makes one better or not in math.

Gelman and Galistell (1979) break down the how to count principles that
explains how children learn to see, feel and hear numbers (p. 383). They
discuss how children gain number sense through the one to one principle. It is
the one to one correspondence of a number matching up with an object. The
next principle children learn is the stable-order principle. This teaches children
that counting has an order and a pattern. The third principle children learn is the
cardinal principle. This is the concept of counting, where the last number that is
mentioned represents the total amount of objects in a given set of examples.

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Research was done to view children understanding of the three principles.
Research found that it was not enough to just observe what children did, but
more so analyze particular problems with a focus on a particular aspect of
number sense (ie example of 1-1 correspondence) (p.386).

Guha (2006) explored how finger counting is used in India. Children at an early
age are taught to count with their fingers on one hand. As children gain larger
number sense, their fingers on one hand expand to use both hands. From there
different parts of the hand such as the gaps in between their fingers and the
joints of the hands are used to count (p.17). The use of fingers for counting
proved to be economical for economically disadvantaged children.
It also was convenient and proved to help children with fine motor skills. The use
of fingers for counting did not result in children being more or less
knowledgeable. It demonstrated that children who use fingers as a tool to count
are just cautious (Guha, 2006).

The research findings on finger counting brought to light different reasons for the
use of finger counting. It is a tool that is readily available because its on our own
bodies. In some situations, it was an economical tool for calculating items at a
market or for the disadvantaged (Warren & DeVries, 2010). In other situations, it
was a natural progression in continuing to learn about numbers. Finger counting
is just a tool. Research shows that the use of fingers to count creates caution

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when checking calculations and it does not make one more or less experienced
in the subject (Guha, 2006).

Finger counting is taught to children in school as a tool for understanding

numbers and beginning arithmetic. Children begin to learn about numbers
through objects and represent it with their fingers. As children get older the use of
fingers is used less and less and the tool is no longer needed in the same way
that it was when children began their elementary education. Finger counting is a
tool that is readily available and useful when needed.

References:
Fuson, K., & Secada, W. (1986). Teaching Children to Add by Counting-On With
One-Handed Finger Patterns. Cognition And Instruction, 229-260.
Gelman, R., & Galistell, C. (1979). The Child's Understanding Of Number.
Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Vol. 10, No. 5 (Nov., 1979), pp.
383-387.
Guha, S. (2006). Using mathematics strategies in early childhood education as a
basis for culturally responsive teaching in India. International Journal Of Early
Years Education, 14(1), 15-34. doi:10.1080/09669760500446374
Waren, E., & DeVries, E. (2010). ENGAGEMENT WITH MATHEMATICS IN THE
EARLY YEARS. Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 15(1), 4-9.
Wilson, R. (2012). Early Mathematics. Mathematical Intelligencer, 34(3), 86.
doi:10.1007/s00283-012-9293-0
Zaslavsky, C. (2001). Developing number sense: What can other cultures tell us?
Teaching Children Mathematics, 7(6), 312. Retrieved from
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