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  • Addition: Concept and Mechanics

    The graphic organizer below is used to show the student the steps for addition. It also addresses the concept of addition (which I have addressed previously) as an act of pulling “together” two parts to form a whole. The student is prompted to move the first part (set of coins in this case) to the…

  • So Easy?!

    So Easy?!

    Problems like the addition problem below are often viewed by adults as straight forward. This perception can make it difficult for adults, including teachers and even special education teachers to help students who struggle with it. I find that the math teacher candidates and special education teacher candidates struggle with breaking down math topics, especially…

  • Addressing the Concept of Addition Part 2

    In a previous post I presented an approach to teach and assess the concept of addition. This document shows all the steps I use including the one shown in the photo above.

  • Assessing the Concept of Addition

    Teaching students to add appears to be a very linear, skill driven endeavor. Hidden in this is the concept of what it means to add and how to assess this conceptual understanding. Here is an approach to address and assess the concept of adding. In the photo above a student is prompted to pull both…