Children's Strategies for Solving Subtraction-Fact Combinations

Abstract

Many teachers at the intermediate grade level are constantly frustrated in their teaching of arithmetic by pupils who have not mastered their basic facts. Such mastery is important, Research in the area of computational errors has consistently shown that many errors are due to lack of mastery of basic facts. Teachers justifiably set mastery of basic facts as an important goal for the year. Each September they optimistically set out to accomplish what the previous year's teachers failed to do—to have all children in their classes master their basic facts. They provide drill, extra practice, and motivating games. Each June they concede defeat. The same children who did not know the facts in September are still making mistakes. This situation is common, but knowledge of what causes these basic-fact errors may prevent it from being inevitable.