L3 Spring Read & Write Numbers to 20 in Numerals

Working Without Worksheets – Year 1 Place Value: Read and Write Numbers from 1 to 20 in Numerals and Words This Working Without Worksheets lesson helps Year 1 pupils learn to read and write numbers from 1 to 20 in both numerals and words, an essential early place value skill. With songs, spelling practice, and fun active challenges like scavenger hunts, children strengthen their number recognition, spelling, and writing confidence. The lesson begins with an interactive starter activity: Use percussion instruments (drums, shakers, tambourines) to practise number words between 1 and 10. For example: when the teacher shows the word six, children tap or shake 6 times. Discuss which number words are easy and which are trickier to read. In the main input, pupils explore numerals and number words: Use a number track to 20 and say each number together. Identify “tricky” numbers with unusual spellings such as one, two, four, eight, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fifteen, eighteen. Practise reading, writing, and matching numbers in both forms. Complete a table matching numerals (e.g. 2, 6, 11, 20) with their word forms ( two, six, eleven, twenty ). The independent activity is a practical scavenger hunt: Hide number words around the classroom. Call out numerals for children to find and match to the correct word card. As a class, order all the pairs from 0 to 20 on the carpet. The plenary brings the learning together: Teams race to find examples of numbers around the classroom (e.g. page numbers, dates, calendar, clock faces). Write the number words on whiteboards and compare findings. Reinforce the importance of linking numerals with written words in everyday life. What’s Included in the Pack? ✔ Full teacher planning with clear objectives, vocabulary, and assessment notes ✔ Starter: percussion activity to practise reading number words 1–10 ✔ Teacher modelling: tricky number spellings and numeral-word matching ✔ Vocabulary focus: numeral, digit, number word, spell, teen numbers