Introducing Written Addition and Subtraction

Ages 6+

You will need:

Pen/pencil and paper.

Once your child understands tens and units you can introduce adding and subtracting with numbers up to 100 (with answers below 100). Your child should start by using this method for addition before moving on to subtraction.

In order to understand the method of the video, your child will need to be:

Familiar with Numicon frames and the formations of the units

Confident with recognising the tens and units of a number.

Confident with using the Numicon frames to make numbers up to 100.

Fairly confident with creating and understanding number sentences.

Why This Method?

We have chosen this method because it helps children to visualise tens and units and will help in future with mental arithmetic. Once your child has mastered this method it will be even easier for them to move on to the traditional column method of addition and subtraction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3oLsM_56eA

Introducing Written Addition

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When writing out the number sentence, make sure the correct symbols are used and that there is room for the answer at the end, with the tens and units labelled for all three numbers.

It is important that the symbols underneath the numbers are drawn in the same formation as the Numicon frames, which your child will already be familiar with.

The units need to be counted first and written under the correct column in the answer space. Harder questions will require carrying, and this cannot be achieved if tens have been counted already so your child needs to practice starting with the units.

Ask your child to read their answer to practise reading larger value numbers.

You can now move on to the addition worksheet to practise answering questions in this way. Writing similar questions in this format for your child to practice regularly will help with familiarising them with this method, meaning they can move on to subtraction and then the more advanced method.

We recommend doing 6-8 questions on the day that you introduce this topic. Once your child is able to do 2 or 3 questions correctly without help, you can finish for the day and then come back to this topic several times over the next week, doing 2/3 questions a day.

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE ADDITION WORKSHEET

Introducing Written Subtraction

https://youtu.be/E3oLsM_56eA?t=361

The copy of the video shown above starts when the subtraction work begins.

This method of subtraction is very similar to the previous method of addition, so your child needs to have mastered the addition before moving onto subtraction. You may wish to cover addition and subtraction on different days.

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Ensure that your child writes the sum in the correct format, with plenty of space for calculations and the tens and units labelled above the numbers and the answer space. When drawing the symbols to represent each number, for subtraction, only draw these for the first number in the sentence.

Always start with the units. Take away the units by crossing out the number of circles you wish to subtract and writing the remaining quantity in the answer space. Then do the same thing with the tens. Make sure your child does not confuse the tens and the units when deciding which symbols to cross off.

Again, ask your child to read you the answer they have calculated.

You can now move on to the subtraction worksheet to practice answering questions in this way. Also write other similar questions for your child to practice, make sure there is no borrowing required at this stage.

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE SUBTRACTION WORKSHEET

Next Steps

Once your child has mastered this stage of their learning, they can move on to using this method when borrowing and carrying. Click the button below to see what comes next.

MOVE ON TO CARRYING AND BORROWING

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