Addition & Subtraction
A parent’s guide to the way maths is taught
Why does Maths look different these days?
Numeracy has developed dramatically over the past few years and is now taught in a very different way to when most parents went to school. This can often create anxieties, especially when it comes to homework. The emphasis now is on children knowing not only what they need to do to find the correct answer, but also why they are doing it.
There are four main operations in Numeracy. This week we will be concentrating on addition and subtraction. These two operations are known by several different terms.
Addition: Add, plus, sum of, total, how many all together and tally.
Subtraction: minus, take away, take from, how many more, how many less, fewer and difference.
Learning this vocabulary is as important as learning the processes themselves.
How do we teach addition & subtraction across the primary school?
| Age Range | Addition & Subtraction |
| Foundation Stage(Nursery & Reception) | Mathematics is taught through a play based approach. Children learn through a range of practical contexts using images, objects, stories, rhymes and songs. Initially we use a wide variety of songs and rhymes with children to practice counting skills. Songs like ‘1,2,3,4,5, once I caught a shark alive ….’ We count anything at any time using every opportunity, How many children are ready on the carpet? How many water bottles are still in the tray? We use songs to count in steps of one, two or more and also songs were we count backwards.
Then we will use rhymes and songs to explore math concepts like addition or subtraction, where children practically relate to the problem as in the 5 Speckled Frogs song where we invite children to pretend to be the speckled frogs and we count them as hop into the water and we work out by counting how many are left. When the children are playing on tasks we will practice solving math problems; How many bricks have you used in your tower? Well how many dishes will we have if I can find one more? How many cakes did you sell? How many do you have left? So the children explore and absorb the concepts whilst they play. We also begin to introduce calculation in a written form starting with addition using the + and = signs. Again we continue to use play, for example adding sets of pencils on the carpet using cards with the + and = signs to make it read like a calculation, finally adding numbers so they see the correct format appearing. By the end of the Foundation Stage (Reception year) most children will: • say use number names in order in familiar contexts • count reliably up to 10 everyday objects • use language such as ‘more’ or ‘less’ to compare two numbers • find one more or less than a number from 1 to 10 • begin to relate addition to combining two groups of objects and subtraction to ‘taking way’ • use mathematical ideas and methods to solve practical problems Some children will be able to: • recognise, count, order, write and use numbers up to 20 |
| Unit 1(Years 1 & 2) | Addition and subtraction are initially taught using concrete materials such as counters and fingers until gradually children are able to use actual numbers as they begin to think in an increasingly abstract way. As children progress from using counters, they will be offered visual aids such as number lines and hundred square grids to count forwards ( to add ) and backwards (to subtract). Eventually the goal is to calculate these operations mentally. A method of adding known as ‘counting on’ is often introduced when adding a single digit number to a double digit one. This is where the child is asked to put a number in his/her head and count on to a number using fingers. This is a difficult skill and takes time to perfect! Combinations of 2 numbers to 10, 20, and 100, known as number bonds are taught and remembered in an almost rote fashion to add/subtract accurately e. g. 17 + 3 = 20 and 20 – 3 = 17. For quickness, children are taught to count in multiples of 2, 5 and 10 and this skill is also useful in preparation for learning the 2, 5 and 10 times table. In Key Stage 1 children are introduced to the varied mathematical vocabulary associated with addition and subtraction. For example add, addition, altogether, more, less, take away and minus so they can recognise the operation to use despite the varied language |
| Unit 2(Years 3 & 4) | We aim to teach a variety of strategies that will help with both the mental and written calculations of addition and subtraction. Up to Year 3 the emphasis is on children working mentally, with calculations recorded in horizontal number sentences, with some jottings for more challenging numbers. Children will understand and be able to select and apply the most appropriate strategy and associated mathematical vocabulary.
With each strategy, mental and written, we emphasis the importance of the method and aim for children to be able to explain how and why they use a particular strategy and the steps included. |
| Unit 3(years 5 & 6) | We teach a range of mental strategies and standard written methods of calculation. By the end of year 5 children should be able to:
• Calculate mentally a difference such as 8006-2993 • Carry out column addition and subtraction of positive numbers less than 10000 • Use all four operations to solve simple word problems involving numbers and quantities, including time, explaining methods and reasoning. By the end of year 6 children should be able to: • carry out column addition and subtraction of numbers involving decimals • Identify and use the appropriate operations (including combinations of operations) to solve word problems involving numbers and quantities, and explain methods and reasoning. |
Children are individuals and therefore find their own methods of doing things; they are encouraged to ask the question ‘Can I do this in my head?’ If not they are they are encouraged to do informal jottings, or a standard written method if appropriate. In Numeracy we try to teach the children several methods of finding the answer to a problem. Once they have mastered these skills we then encourage them to choose the method that best suits them.
Your child will bring home a maths leaflet showing you the different methods of addition and subtraction that we teach, in line with the UK National Curriculum.
How can you help your child?
DO:
• Be positive about maths, even if you don’t feel confident about it yourself.
• Talk & listen to your child about their work in maths. It will help your child if they have to explain to you.
• Put aside a regular 10 minutes several times a week for them to tell you what they are working on.
• Play games and have fun with maths!
• Try to find opportunities to show them maths being used at home or when shopping, e.g. measuring quantities of food, using money etc.
• Use mathematical vocabulary that your children know and bring home rather than terms you may remember e.g. ‘borrowing’ when subtracting is no longer a term used as nothing is ever repaid!
• Let the teacher know if they struggle with their homework by either writing a note in your child’s Home/School Communication book or telling the teacher.
DON’T:
• Put pressure on your child accidentally. Maths is not just about knowing a fact at split second notice.
• Point out all the mistakes, instead give encouragement and praise for having a go.
Maths words may have changed since you were at school…
Bridging – You can make it easier to use numbers if you work out what should be added or taken away to bring you to a 10 or multiple of 10. Then add or subtract the other number separately.
Decomposition – To partition numbers in different ways to allow subtraction to
take place when the subtracting number is larger than the starting number e.g. 700+80+4 is the same as 700+70+14 (what you may know as borrowing)
Difference – One number subtracted from another gives you the difference
between them.
Expanded methods – To carry out an operation such as addition or subtraction on a partitioned number.
Partitioning – To split numbers into hundreds, tens and units to make calculations easier.
Place Value – The value of a digit within a number. e.g. The value of 2 in 524 is 20.