How to Teach Counting On Addition So the Strategy STICKS!
We know that when we teach procedures in math that many of our students lack the ability to generalize those procedures and apply them when it's appropriate. How often have you heard this description of a struggling student:"They have great rote procedures but they struggle when it comes to the application".
It's so common! There are steps we can take as teachers to help teach our students strategies in ways that allow the strategy to transcend "procedure status" and to stick!
1) Link It Back
2) Context Is King
3) Think CRA
Link It Back
If I am teaching a strategy such as counting on to add, I want immediately link back to what my students already know about addition. If my students know that addition puts parts together, when we talk about counting on we will be talking all about how this is a strategy to put parts together. Down the line when your students see an addition sign, they won't default to the counting on procedure because "the plus sign means I grab the bigger number and count on". They will default to counting on IF it is an appropriate strategy because it is the most efficient strategy to "put parts together".
Context Is King

In this example, you can see that I have told my students there are 7 bears in the cave and 3 outside. I want them to figure out how many bears there are altogether without ever getting to see the bears inside the cave.
This scenario lends itself perfectly to the counting on strategy. Once my students think they have solved the problem we can get out manipulatives to show 7 bears in the cave and 3 outside and discuss whether or not our counting on strategy was successful in putting the parts together.
Think CRA

Representational: When my students are showing a level of confidence with concrete manipulatives, I would move to a more representative model such as the pictures of the bears in the cave shown above. In this way, our students are able to "trust" that there are a given number of bears in the cave. They are beginning to be comfortable manipulating the numbers without having to physically manipulate the scenario.
Following these three steps will help to ensure that the strategies you are teaching are sticking for your students. You are truly teaching strategies rather than a standalone procedure!
________________________________________________________________________________
Related Resources:
Pin For Later:
Math Spot Newsletter:
Click HERE to receive notes, tips, freebies & special discounts from The Math Spot