Fostering fluency with basic addition and subtraction facts using computer-aided instruction

Achieving fluency with the basic addition and subtraction combinations is difficult for many students in grades 1 to 3. Two papers chronicle three experiments, which entailed evaluating the efficacy of software designed to promote fluency with add-with-8 or -9, near-doubles (e.g., 5 + 6), and subtraction items via moderately guided learning of reasoning strategies. In Experiments 1 and 2, eligible students were randomly assigned to either a guided make-10 condition (e.g., the sum of 9 + 7: 9 + [1 + 6] = [9 + 1] + 6 = 10 + 6 = 16), or guided near-doubles condition (e.g., the sum of 3 + 4: 3 + [3 + 1] = [3 + 3] + 1 = 6 + 1 = 7). Experiment 3 also included a third condition, guided subtraction training (e.g., the difference 12 – 9 can be thought of as: What number when added to 9 equals 12?). Each experiment involved pupils in Grade 1, 2, or 3. ANCOVAs revealed each of the guided interventions promoted learning of the trained strategies as evidenced by transfer to unpracticed items