Threading instruction improves weak children's arithmetic

Eurakalert ^ | Apr 11, 2003 | Nalinie Moerlie

[jude24]

I wish I had taken the time to learn this.

I've gotten lazy -- I don't like to do simple arithmatic without a calculator.

If pressed, I could do most arithmatic with a pencil and paper. Give me trig tables, and I could do that too. But a calculator is so much quicker, and less likely to make a mistake (and a scientific calc is what? $10?)

[supercat]

Works for multiplication too

Perhaps you should explain in more detail, since your example seems 147,100 short.

BTW, there is a cool trick to division I discovered, which is of limitted usefulness when doing maths by hand, but makes division fundamentally parallelizable. I wonder if PGP or other such programs use any such technique?

[TAdorno]

Please tell me this is a joke. I hope you're not a school teacher.

[Diddley]

. . . But a calculator is so much quicker, and less likely to make a mistake

You are right.
A person "needs" to learn how to "do" math, so that he/she can decide what procedure to use and to evaluate answers for reasonableness.
However - as one who has used math for 6 decades - I now find that I "depend" on a calculator.

[antaresequity]

Your right...I went to fast

Basically its like this...simpler example

87 x 34=

80 x 30
80 x 4
7 x 30
7 x 4

or 2400 320 210 28 =

the idea is to break the it into memory manageable modules

Sorry

[antaresequity]

too many beers tonite see lower post sorry

No im not a school teacher...i was trying to convey a method that I use for multiplication beyond the tables

like for instance this simple example 17 x 28

thats the same as 10 x 28 or 280 and
7 x 28 which is 7 x 20 + 56

which is 280 + 140 + 56

when you multiply it is a ton quicker that way

break it into memory sized chunks that are easy base ten units

[Capriole]

Gee, I'm so glad I read this. My nine-year-old son has a learning disability and has a horrible time just doing the simplest arithmetic. We have struggled and studied but nothing seems to help. Maybe this would.

[Capriole]

Gee, I'm so glad I read this. My nine-year-old son has a learning disability and has a horrible time just doing the simplest arithmetic. We have struggled and studied but nothing seems to help. Maybe this would.

[Marie]

(slaps forehead...)

If you have any other tricks FReep me!!! (Homeschooling two.)

[Diddley]

, , , nothing seems to help. Maybe this would.

It might indeed.
There are many techniques that a creative teacher can use to get "non-standard" learners to learn.
Good luck.

[FReepmail me, if you wish]

[jude24]

Don't get me wrong. If pressed, I can do chemistry/calculus without a calculator.

I just don't like to.

[goodnesswins]

I agree about the "art" projects in the lower grades....sheesh....but, not ALL teachers have bad attitudes, really, but a lot of them, I think give up to the Union and Fed Gov't mandates, and the fact that they cannot improve THEIR lot over another teachers by virtue of "performance." (I think the education system is a great example of SOCIALISM.)

[seams2me]

"That's the way I've always done it."

Me too! Who knew we were ahead of our times? They take the best tried and true way to do something, give it a fancy name and make it sound like they just invented it. Typical of educators.

[Diddley]

Don't get me wrong.

No, I didn't get you wrong. I feel the same way.