Raise your hand if you feel like you have mastered teaching addition strategies? But…when it comes to subtraction, you could use some help. If you can relate to this question, you are definitely not alone. Subtraction is a tricky concept for many of our students. And, it can often be a bit harder to teach! Like with addition, we want our students to become fluent with these math facts, but this requires time and practice. If you are searching for strategies to teach addition, be sure to check out this post. And, if you are ready to learn some strategies to help you teach subtraction like a rockstar, then keep scrolling!
Like with many other concepts we teach, there is never a one-size-fits-all approach. What works for one student might not necessarily work for another, so equipping our students with many strategies and approaches can help them better grasp and understand subtraction.
Anchor Charts
I love anchor charts. They are not only great learning tools for students, but they also allow your students to be actively involved with what they are learning. As I teach a lesson, my students help me create the anchor chart with important content and strategies. And, then the anchor chart will contain the various subtraction strategies, and my students can refer to the anchor chart if they need some guidance.
Some ideas for a subtraction anchor chart would be:
-use manipulatives
-count backward on number line
-count up from the smaller subtrahend
Relate to Addition
I mentioned that teaching addition is just a bit easier for me, and I know many of you can relate. I am guilty of spending way more time teaching addition but, the good news is that many of the addition strategies that we use can also be applied to subtraction. For instance, in addition, we teach our students counting on. And, with subtraction, we can focus on counting back. So, think of the strategies that you find that your students do well with when it comes to addition, and work them in a way to use with subtraction.
Manipulatives
Counting bears, snap cubes, and erasers are just a few of my must-haves to use with subtraction. Using manipulatives and counters is one of the first strategies I always use to teach subtraction. Manipulatives allow students to see what it means to take something away and visually see subtraction happening. I let my students use manipulatives with math centers, worksheets, and games. In my opinion, manipulatives are the most concrete strategy for helping students truly understand subtracting concepts. There are so many great ways to use manipulatives. Many of my students are visual learners, so it’s essential that they need manipulatives to assist them with subtraction in the beginning stages.
Visualizing
And speaking of visual learners… Visualization is another strategy that plays a huge role in students building fluency. At the same time, manipulatives are a great hands-on way to teach subtraction. But, I mean allowing students to truly see subtraction happening. A human number line is a fun and interactive way for students to learn visually. And, it’s a great team-building activity. I also encourage my students to draw, especially when doing story problems. When they draw out the problem, they can solve the subtraction problems better. Number lines are a great tool to help students visually solve the problem as well.
Games
After teaching various strategies and using anchor charts, it’s time to put our knowledge to work which is where games come in. Every single time you teach a new strategy, practice with a game. Games allow students to not only have fun with the learned material but also allows them time to practice and gain experience. Games invite students to try out the strategies but in a way that making a mistake is ok, and in turn, their confidence builds.
One of the most critical aspects of teaching different subtraction strategies is to make sure your students are able to clearly explain HOW they got their answer. This is why I love number talks. So, after introducing a specific strategy, make sure you bring it into your number talks so that your students have hands-on practice explaining their logic.
As always, my best piece of advice is practice, practice, and practice. While one strategy may work, another one might need a bit more practice for your students to master it. What is your favorite method for teaching subtraction?
