Threading instruction improves weak children's arithmetic

Eurakalert ^ | Apr 11, 2003 | Nalinie Moerlie

[Diddley]

Dutch research has revealed that pupils at special schools for primary education can best learn arithmetic using one specific strategy. When adding and subtracting with numbers less than 100, these pupils make least mistakes when using the so-called threading strategy (for example, 65 - 23 = 65 - 20-3).

Bauke Milo investigated how children with learning difficulties can best learn to add and subtract numbers less than 100. Arithmetic lessons using modern methods challenge pupils to come up with their own solutions.
However, children with learning difficulties require a different approach. The skills expected in modern arithmetic education are out of the reach of many children at special schools for primary education.

Milo followed a total of 70 pupils in special primary education who could manage to add and subtract numbers up to 20 but had not yet mastered the same for numbers up to 100. Over a period of six months, these pupils were coached in groups of 3 to 5 pupils. During this six-month period the researcher recorded the pupils on video. He also conducted several arithmetic tests.

The different groups were taught different methods for adding and subtracting numbers up to 100. There are two basic strategies for performing addition and subtraction: solving in threads or solving by splitting up. The threading strategy starts with the first whole number and then takes off tens and units, for example, 65 - 23 = 65 - 20 = 45, 45 - 3 = 42.
The splitting strategy makes separate calculations for tens and units and in the final phase combines the outcomes: 65 - 23 = 60 - 20 = 40, 5 -3 =2, 40 + 2 = 42.

The researcher found that children with behavioural or learning difficulties who received special education, rarely adapt their strategies to make these easier for themselves. However, the children that did do this and the children who used the threading strategy made fewer mistakes in their sums than pupils who only used the splitting strategy.

These results led Milo to call for arithmetic instruction which only makes use of the threading strategy. Only when the use of this strategy does not give any problems, the teacher can move on to the teaching of other methods.

[jude24]

I wish I had taken the time to learn this.

I've gotten lazy -- I don't like to do simple arithmatic without a calculator.

If pressed, I could do most arithmatic with a pencil and paper. Give me trig tables, and I could do that too. But a calculator is so much quicker, and less likely to make a mistake (and a scientific calc is what? $10?)

[supercat]

Works for multiplication too

Perhaps you should explain in more detail, since your example seems 147,100 short.

BTW, there is a cool trick to division I discovered, which is of limitted usefulness when doing maths by hand, but makes division fundamentally parallelizable. I wonder if PGP or other such programs use any such technique?

[TAdorno]

Please tell me this is a joke. I hope you're not a school teacher.

[Diddley]

. . . But a calculator is so much quicker, and less likely to make a mistake

You are right.
A person "needs" to learn how to "do" math, so that he/she can decide what procedure to use and to evaluate answers for reasonableness.
However - as one who has used math for 6 decades - I now find that I "depend" on a calculator.

[antaresequity]

Your right...I went to fast

Basically its like this...simpler example

87 x 34=

80 x 30
80 x 4
7 x 30
7 x 4

or 2400 320 210 28 =

the idea is to break the it into memory manageable modules

Sorry

[antaresequity]

too many beers tonite see lower post sorry

No im not a school teacher...i was trying to convey a method that I use for multiplication beyond the tables

like for instance this simple example 17 x 28

thats the same as 10 x 28 or 280 and
7 x 28 which is 7 x 20 + 56

which is 280 + 140 + 56

when you multiply it is a ton quicker that way

break it into memory sized chunks that are easy base ten units

[Capriole]

Gee, I'm so glad I read this. My nine-year-old son has a learning disability and has a horrible time just doing the simplest arithmetic. We have struggled and studied but nothing seems to help. Maybe this would.

[Capriole]

Gee, I'm so glad I read this. My nine-year-old son has a learning disability and has a horrible time just doing the simplest arithmetic. We have struggled and studied but nothing seems to help. Maybe this would.

[Marie]

(slaps forehead...)

If you have any other tricks FReep me!!! (Homeschooling two.)

[Diddley]

, , , nothing seems to help. Maybe this would.

It might indeed.
There are many techniques that a creative teacher can use to get "non-standard" learners to learn.
Good luck.

[FReepmail me, if you wish]

[jude24]

Don't get me wrong. If pressed, I can do chemistry/calculus without a calculator.

I just don't like to.

[goodnesswins]

I agree about the "art" projects in the lower grades....sheesh....but, not ALL teachers have bad attitudes, really, but a lot of them, I think give up to the Union and Fed Gov't mandates, and the fact that they cannot improve THEIR lot over another teachers by virtue of "performance." (I think the education system is a great example of SOCIALISM.)

[seams2me]

"That's the way I've always done it."

Me too! Who knew we were ahead of our times? They take the best tried and true way to do something, give it a fancy name and make it sound like they just invented it. Typical of educators.

[Diddley]

Don't get me wrong.

No, I didn't get you wrong. I feel the same way.