Will you help me understand the instructions on my child's homework?
I'm trying to help my son with his spanish homework. He's only 6 years old, so you think it would be easily translated. However, when I translate the instructions, it doesn't make sense with what's on the paper. The instructions are in spanish as follows: "Su niño usó fichas y un marco de 5 para mostrar los números del 6 al 10." There are 5 empty boxes at the top of the page, and the best I gather is to write the numbers 6-10 in the boxes. BUT, below that is a list of 1-4, and each number has a set of 5 smaller boxes next to it, then a space to write something about 1 inch wide out next to the 5 boxes. Can you translate and help please?
11 Answers
Ah ok how about this - the child has to draw the correct number of counters to match the number for each box?
Hmmm I'm not sure but does 'fichas y un marco' refer to an abacus? Although that doesn't make much sense for numbers under ten - fichas can be counters but I think un marco is a frame? Sorry hopefully someone else will shed a bit more light on the matter.
De la escuela al hogar. Su niño usó fichas y un marco de 5 para mostrar los números del 6 al 10.
From school to home. Your kid used coins and a framework of 5 to show the numbers from 6 to 10.
Actividad para el hogar. Reúna diez objetos pequeños. Diga un número y pida a su niño que mustre ese número con los objetos.
Homework. Gather 10 small objects. Say a number and ask your kid to show that number with the objects.
It's really weird without knowing what you're talking about. Translation is all I can do for you. 
My wife´s degree is in Early Childhood Education. We come from the United States, but we currently live in Santiago, Chile. These two points of background have led to many discussions on how it must be for native Spanish speakers and their children in the U.S. (illegal imigrants or not)
If nothing else, you might take from this experience the difficulty those parents have when they are trying to help thier children with their homework. Maybe the teacher is trying to teach that very thing. My wife only started learning Spanish when we found out we'd be taking this job, and her difficulties here have given me a whole new perspective on Mexican Americans (or anyone else in the U.S. who doesn't speak English).
I just wanted to say thanks for all of your replies. I eventually made up an exercise for him to do that I thought was similar to what everyone was saying. Also, to answer some of you. We live in Texas. We speak English only. My son is 6 years old and in the first grade. He took a test, and scored very high so they offered him a chance to be in a dual language program that started last year in kindergarten. He's very intelligent, and I'm not sure if you were joking cause he's only in the first grade or just trying to be funny, but I assure you he WILL be able to attend ANY university he wants. Thanks.
Oh, and today I wasn't able to speak to the teacher so I was going to wait until tomorrow, but when I picked him up, he told me his teacher told the class that she won't be sending anymore work home that's completely in Spanish. So, apparently I wasn't the only parent that had an issue with this 
. However, I do appreciate everyone's help, and after I speak with his teacher tomorrow, I will post what the instructions were telling him to do, just in case anyone is still curious. I know I am, lol.
Will you help me understand the instructions on my child's homework?
Hi Ecko,any time, anything you need, just ask us, welcome to the forum
HI ecko, do you actually live in a Spanish speaking country? Why don't you talk to the teacher, she might be happy to give you the instructions in English.
I am a teacher and I don't understand the first line either, just like dakie who is a native too, sorry, this is very weird.
I am guessing: maybe this is like a frame for the three in a row thingy, so your son can have tokens or round objects, and puts them in a slid.
Hmmm, I have just seen quentin's idea, this sounds reasonable. The frame can be a hand, first time ever I have heard it used that way, but...
From school to home: this was taught at school, so do it at home too to practise.
Ok I think (as they used the past tense) that they school is informing you that at school your child has done an exercise with some kind of counters showing that they understand how many counters are needed to represent the numbers 6-10.
Now they want you to do a similar exercise at home with counters, you say the numbers and check that your child counts the right amount out.
That's my best guess je je
Heidita,
Going back to Kiwi Girl's allusion to an abacus, in a base 10 (decimal) abacus the units wire contains 9 or 10 beads (fichas here). That is so you can represent the digits (0-9). However, to make abacus's (what is the plural?) smaller some use a different color bead to represent 5. That way, you only need the 5 bead (marca here) and 4 ones beads to make 0-9.
So 0 (no bead) to 4 is represent by the one's beads. 5 by a different colored token and 6, 7,8,9, by the 5 token and the respective number of "one's" beads. That is what I was referring to about counting on you fingers and the 5 token representing a hand or 5 fingers. 6, therefore, is a hand and 1 finger.
That sounds like what may be happening in this homework problem, but I wish that we had the diagram.
In this type of abacus the arrangement of the blue beads keep track of whether the 5 token is in play or not. See the unit numbers for example. (8 is represented by 3 one's beads + a 5 bead).
For those that have never used an abacus, here is how it works (very simple which is why it was used so early in history)
The beads as shown in the picture represent the number 1,532,786. Its easier to see if you use the full size abacus so you don't have to worry about "borrowing". If you wish to subtract 22,054 ... you just slide 4 beads from the ones wire (bottom or top as long as you keep it straight where the one's wire is) , 5 beads from the 10's wire, leave the 100's wire alone, move 2 beads from the 1000's wire to the right or left, and 2 beads from the 10,000 wire to the right or left. Then you just read the answer as you did with the original number. To add numbers you move beads from right to left or left to right as long as you keep straight which is ones column. (on the smaller abacus you move the beads from bottom to top or bottom to top to add or subtract) You have to do a lot of borrowing 5's to represent the larger digits, but with practice you can add and subtract on these things with lightning speed.
full size abacus with 10 beads per units row.
However, I do appreciate everyone's help, and after I speak with his teacher tomorrow, I will post what the instructions were telling him to do, just in case anyone is still curious. I know I am, lol.
Oh yes, please do, I am curious too, in any case, any question you have on his homework, or tips on helping with his homework, just ask
What a great scheme I wish my kids had had the chance to learn a second language from reception.
Maybe I should include everything, that may help. Even though I understand the second part, the following is what it says to do:
De la escuela al hogar. Su niño usó fichas y un marco de 5 para mostrar los números del 6 al 10.
Actividad para el hogar. Reúna diez objetos pequeños. Diga un número y pida a su niño que mustre ese número con los objetos.
