[rgarlikov]

Yes, the questions are logically leading. That is pointed out as what the method is about. That particular question was just to get the discussion started so we could get into "aliens with two fingers" to make it fun for the students to discuss two-digit math (no pun intended, of course). It was not really part of the logic of teaching. It could have been done without reference to fingers at all; e.g., "Could we have a math system if we only used two numerals, 0, and 1?" but that would not likely have piqued the interest of third graders very much. And actually some students might have taken issue with the ten fingers/ten numerals idea, since "zero" as a numeral screws that up. E.g., our number groupings in written, columnar form really go from zero to 9, and then 10 to 19, 20 to 29, etc. You don't count zero things on your fingers....