This Helped a SPED Kid Learn Subtraction Regrouping!

I posted earlier about a strategy that helped a struggling SPED student add with regrouping.  Now, I am sharing the strategy I taught this same child to learn subtraction with and without regrouping.

Thank you to Lovin Lit and Educasong for the clip art!

Above there are two examples.  One of the examples is with regrouping and the last one is without regrouping.  This strategy will work both ways.  I admit I have been using the rhyme that a couple of teachers have gotten from Pinterest…”More on top, no need to stop.  More on the floor, go next door, and get ten more.”  I have kids recite this first.  The rhyme works very well so I use it.  Anyhow, I have the kids always circle the number on the bottom in subtraction.  The circle represents their head.   Then they make dots to count up until they get to the top number.   The dots are like their fingers.  To get the difference they count how many dots they drew.  Simple, easy, and if kids can make the jump to use their fingers, they can go ahead and don’t have to draw dots.  I did this because I found some students don’t know how to effectively use their fingers to count up yet.

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