Data were collected in the problem representations and solution strategies of 30 first graders who were given a series of simple addition and subtraction word problems. The children were interviewed three times during the school year. The influence of problem structure on children's solution strategies appears more extensive and decisive than that…

Described is a procedure for teaching children to learn to count on with finger patterns after they have learned to count with objects. The technique has been found to be successful with children of all ability levels at grades one and two. (RH)

Direct instruction techniques were employed in a structured parental involvement program targeted toward improvement of basic arithmetic skills in six students ages 7-8. Among reported results was a statistically significant posttest improvement on an addition placement test compared to a control group performance without parental involvement. (JW)

Kindergartners appeared to differ in their readiness to use a concrete counting strategy for addition. Many persisted in counting with objects. Mental counting strategies were sequenced. (MNS)

Provides domino geometry problems, problems with arithmetic progressions, and magic pentagram sums. (JM)

An addition "trick," an analysis of why it works, and steps in constructing other problems of the same type from the basis of a discovery learning activity for addition. (DT)

A hierarchy for rational number addition was constructed using intraconcept analysis. A test to assess mastery at each of 45 levels was administered to 200 elementary students representing a wide range of achievement and ability levels. Implications of the results for development of optimal instructional sequences are discussed. (Author/DT)

This paper discusses an approach to the study of algorithms which values students' construction of nonstandard algorithms but also emphasizes the essential roles of the teacher and instructional activities in supporting the development of students' numerical reasoning. Episodes are presented from a 3rd grade classroom in which a 9-week teaching…

Four ideas are presented, each a variation of the tic-tac-toe game. Recognizing three addends is the goal of the primary level game; experiences with basic facts and fractions are objectives for upper levels. Each worksheet includes objectives, directions, and comments. (LS)

The author describes various classroom activities for teaching basic number skills under the headings (1) Understanding facts, (2) Relating facts, and (3) Mastering facts. The activities are designed to involve children in the making of models of the operations of arithmetic and the interpretation of these models with number sentences. (MM)

Subjects were 73 first-grade children who were heterogeneous ethnically and socioeconomically. The purpose was to evaluate a component-skill analysis of the child's transition from the solution procedure counting-all to the solution procedure counting-on. The results provide a strong case for the proposed componential analysis. (MP)

Activity sheets and gameboards for basic addition and subtraction practice, regrouping, and estimating are presented. (MP)

Described are activities using paper plates with dots drawn on them which place a heavy emphasis on matching and ordering sets, on developing mental images of sets, and on perceiving sets of a certain size as composed of smaller subsets. Also suggested are activities involving numerals. (Author/TG)

An analysis is presented of pupil responses to several items on the second National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics survey which focused on the concepts and models of the fundamental operations. (MP) Aspect of National Assessment (NAEP) dealt with in this document: Results (Interpretation).

Practical tips on the teaching of subtraction, addition and subtraction of fractions, and finding the vertex of a parabola are given. (MK)