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Difficulties Learning Simple Addition Facts: A Persistent Problem

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Difficulties Learning Simple Addition Facts: A Persistent Problem

Author: Sarah Hopkins

Publication Year: 2000

Abstract

Research carried out amongst adolescent students with learning difficulties is consequential to
the delay/deficit interpretation of performance: Is performance immature and development
simply delayed or does a processing deficit underlie performance difficulties so that
development is impeded? This study investigated what strategies three students in Year 10
applied to simple addition problems. Performance was analysed on a trial-by-trial basis and
strategy variability within problems was examined. After participating in ten years of formal
schooling, these students still did not know the basic addition facts (including tie facts, and
facts to problems with an addend of two and ten). Their performance based on strategy use was
not consistent with a processing deficit interpretation but neither could it be considered simply
delayed. Understanding the extent of the difficulty experienced by some students in acquiring
basic number facts is imperative to developing appropriate interventions.

Type: research paper

Sarah Hopkins

Difficulties Learning Simple Addition Facts: A Persistent Problem

Short Communications & Round Tables

The following documents are essential to read and complete when considering submitting a short communication or round table to the MERGA conference (available in the Submission section of this website).

MERGA Paper Template – to be used to write the abstracts which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website
MERGA Publication Agreement – to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the abstract submission

Submissions not exceeding one page are required for short communications and round tables. The submissions must be prepared using the conference template, and can include essential references. They will be reviewed by the Editorial Team and, if accepted, will be published in the conference proceedings as one-page abstracts (not as papers). Presenters are invited to prepare a paper for distribution at the conference, but these papers will not be included in the proceedings.

Short communications are suitable for reports on research in mathematics education that do not fully meet the requirements for published papers. These might include works in preliminary stages, reports of pilot projects, initial reviews of literature, ideas or suggestions for future study, and briefer discussions of particular issues. Short communications allow new researchers to obtain feedback on projects in a constructive and supportive environment, and foster the building of links between researchers with similar interests.

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Research Papers

The following documents are essential to read and complete when considering submitting a research paper to the MERGA conference (available in the Submission section of this website).

MERGA Paper Template – to be used to write the papers which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website
MERGA Publication Agreement – to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the paper submission

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1. Reports of empirical investigations

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a statement of rationale for methodologies used in collecting and analysing data;
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a theoretical discussion;
a position paper;
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a literature review, a meta-study;
an account of a new initiative;
a reflective critique of practice; or
any mixture of these or other recognised scholarly forms.

When the work is a theoretical discussion, a position paper, a report of scholarly inquiry in progress, a review of literature, a theoretical study, a meta-study, an account of a new initiative, a reflective critique of practice or any mixture of these or other recognised scholarly forms, the material presented must be discussed critically, and alternative points of view relating to themes presented should be appropriately argued.
It is expected that presenting authors will have 40 minutes to present their work at the conference. At least 10 minutes must be allowed to field questions and comments from the audience.

Structure of research papers – All papers for publication in the conference proceedings should contain the following:

a statement of the problem/issue and a discussion of its significance;
a critical analysis of the research literature as it relates to the topic of the paper; and
conclusions and implications for mathematics education derived from the study.

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MERGA Paper Template (to be used to write the papers which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website)
MERGA Publication Agreement (to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the paper submission)

Presentation of groups of published papers related by theme in the form of a research symposium is encouraged. The symposium forum will be particularly suitable for presentations relating to a single large project or presentations that explore topical themes from different and/or related perspectives. Special Interest Groups [SIGs] are encouraged to consider the symposium option as a means for sharing and discussing current research.

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