For the most basic strategies, children use physical objects or fingers to directly model the action or relationships described in each problems. The child needs to represent each quantity in a problem and the action or relationship involving those quantities before counting the resulting set.
Counting:
A child essentially recognizes that it is not necessary to actually construct and count sets. The answer can be figured out by focusing on the counting sequence itself. Counting strategies generally involve some sort of simultaneous double counting, and the physical objects a child may use (fingers, counters, tally marks) are used to keep track of counts rather than to represent objects in the problem.
Derived Facts:
Certain number combinations are learned before others, and children often use a small set of memorized facts to derive solutions for problems involving other number combinations. Doubles are usually learned before other combinations, and sums of ten are often learned relatively early.
Levels of Development
Modeling:
For the most basic strategies, children use physical objects or fingers to directly model the action or relationships described in each problems. The child needs to represent each quantity in a problem and the action or relationship involving those quantities before counting the resulting set.
Counting:
A child essentially recognizes that it is not necessary to actually construct and count sets. The answer can be figured out by focusing on the counting sequence itself. Counting strategies generally involve some sort of simultaneous double counting, and the physical objects a child may use (fingers, counters, tally marks) are used to keep track of counts rather than to represent objects in the problem.
Derived Facts:
Certain number combinations are learned before others, and children often use a small set of memorized facts to derive solutions for problems involving other number combinations. Doubles are usually learned before other combinations, and sums of ten are often learned relatively early.