What is Subitizing?

The ability to immediately recognize the amount of objects without the need to count them individually. Basically, identifying the number of things with the use of one-to-one correspondence. For instance, if I were to hold out a die with five dots, one should be able to know how many dots there are just by seeing it. There is no need to physically count out each dot to determine the correct answer. This skill is remarkably essential for children to obtain because it builds up mathematical fundamental skills and of course, it makes addition easier and quicker to solve. Subitizing is important to use because it is present throughout our daily lives in calculation and estimation. This number sense concept can be represented in playing a game of dominoes, card games, groups of foods packaged up at a grocery store, or working with building blocks that are laid out in rows or columns. Relating number to items or groups is the hallmark of subitizing.

Subitizing by Numeric Words

Types of Subitizing

Perceptual Counting is the ability to subitize up to five numbers. Students in this stage can count collections of objects with the use of sight, hearing, and touch. It is vital that concrete representation of items are present to make identifying the amount easier. The concept of one-to-one concept is applied when matching one number word individually to objects shown.

Conceptual Counting is subitizing numbers that are above five. Students at this stage has grasp the understanding of one-to-one correspondence between count words and objects. They are aware of the stable order of number words, and recognize that objects can be counted in any order.