ABSTRACT
Fluency with basic addition facts is critical for proficiency in mathematics and access to more complex mathematics concepts and tasks. Addition fact fluency should be built upon conceptual understanding, properties of addition, and number relationships. Subtraction facts are learned through developing conceptual understanding of the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction. Focusing on drill and memorization activities before students have experiences developing strategies based on understanding can have a negative effect on students’ number sense as well as their perceptions of mathematics and of themselves as learners of mathematics. Visual models such as dot images, ten-frames, and ten-strips can support students in developing strategies for deriving unknown facts from known facts. It is important to provide students with regular opportunities for two types of fact practice, targeted and general, to help them reach the goal of automaticity with the addition facts.
