Despite problem posing's prominence in mathematics education research, its implementation in classrooms is limited. Therefore, teacher educators should incorporate problem posing tasks into preparation programs to help prospective teachers gain confidence in their abilities. One approach to teaching problem posing includes providing examples. The…

This observational study used data from 270 second-grade students to investigate the association between students' strategy use for multidigit addition and subtraction and their mathematics achievement. Based on strategies they used during a mathematics interview, students were classified into the following strategy groups: (a) standard algorithm,…

One of the factors associated with the less than positive mathematics performance of American students could be poorly designed textbooks that fail to facilitate the development of critical mathematical ideas. This study examined two reform-based textbooks (Go math! and Investigations) in reference to essential, mathematical big ideas emphasized…

The Long-Term Trend (LTT) mathematics assessment of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) used the same set of items from 1982 through 2004, including 20 items that were administered to 9-and 13-year-olds, 29 items that were administered to 13-and 17-year-olds, and 4 items that were administered at all three ages. This study used…

Describes a study which compares the abilities of 130 first graders in responding correctly to open (Computational) addition exercises to their abilities in responding to equivalent problems stated in the closed form. No statistical difference between levels of correct responses to opened or closed exercises was indicated. (PR)

First graders at three different schools were individually interviewed to determine their understanding of missing addend problems. Details of the interview are provided. Behaviors separating successful from unsuccessful students, students' number conservation ability, and the abstractness of missing-number problems are discussed. (DT)

This report illustrates a simple, short, yet relatively little known partial check on addition that elementary school pupils can be lead to discover, and later taught to understand. The process can also be used for subtraction and is viewed as more useful than the traditional check of casting out nines. (MP)

Problems are discussed in which addition facts are presented using words instead of numbers. The letters are then replaced by numbers that will make the addition problems correct. (MP)

The early use of the distributive law can aid students in learning addition of fractions and provide rapid approaches to computation involving other operations. (SD)

Forming whole numbers which read the same from left to right as from right to left is considered. A list of such numbers less than 1000 is included along with implications for instruction. (MN)

Procedures for using a calculator to check addition and subtraction problems in bases less than 10 are described. (SD)

The goal was to help 7- and 8-year olds develop computational skills in addition and subtraction. Experimental groups received instruction emphasizing mathematical structure while control groups worked on drill activities. Results showed that emphasizing structure facilitated the development of number concepts, place value, and computational…