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How do they teach basic addition in Y2?

8 replies

niceglasses · 04/02/2008 19:17

Trying to help ds1 with maths and he swears they learn addition not in units of hundreds, tens, thousands etc and adding up in columns, but that they just count on?

So, if they are adding say 34 and 22 they just take the biggest number then count on 22. I can't believe this - anyone a teacher out there?

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flack · 04/02/2008 19:19

I'm asking DS (now Y3), he says "Number lines!" which is counting on, effectively, but done visually.

Also, based on observations as sporadic parent helper, units-tens-hundreds etc. just don't come into it yet this age.

soapbox · 04/02/2008 19:21

Not a teacher but IIRC there were a few methods which were covered.

One was to use a number line and leap on 10, then another 10, then add the 2.

One way was to use a 100 square and move across 2 and down 2.

One way was to add the units and hundreds together as you have suggested.

niceglasses · 04/02/2008 19:24

My God, I have so much to learn. I thought there was only one way to add up. I just don't get that counting on carry on.

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mumwhereareyou · 04/02/2008 19:26

I asked my DD1 teacher this just the other day as i was getting frustated at how she didn't understand my way, ie units of hundreds etc. Teacher magically produced a number grid and said this is how we do it. It is numbered in rows of 10 up to 100 so if 34 plus 22 they woudl find 34 add 20 making 54 then plus 2 to make 56. I was puzzled but DD2 understands it.

Teacher did say i was showing my age by the way i did it.

buggerycrap · 04/02/2008 19:28

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ChasingSquirrels · 04/02/2008 19:32

definitly don't do columns - though they learn this later on (as it is quicker).
Counting on (don't count on all of 22, count on 20 as 2 tens and them count on 2) does give a better conceptual understanding than column addition - hence why columns come later - once the concept is there.
I have taught ds columns (as he is numerate and understands the concept), but have concentrated on counting on.

Madsometimes · 06/02/2008 14:22

My daughter was taught by partitioning tens and units, so

34 + 22 =
30 + 4 + 20 + 2
30 + 20 = 50
4 + 2 = 6

50 + 6 = 56

She found this incredibly confusing in year 2, so in practice she just used to count on. Now she's in year 3, she is starting to get this.

bozza · 06/02/2008 14:31

I think DS does the counting on in tens and units but that is basically the same as columns IMO. Although he doesn't seem to be doing actually written down column sums. Just mental arithmetic. DS is reasonably advanced though.

Was funny on Sunday because he was doing his maths homework and I had wondered off to hang some washing to dry and he shouts "Mummy it's 42 but we've already had that answer". So I had to go and explain that just because 35+7=42, that doesn't mean that 27+15 can't also equal 42.

So the rest of the day DH and I kept coming up with sums that equal 42. I think DS saw the funny side.

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