Developing Understanding and Proficiency for English Language Learners' Addition and Subtraction

Beth Wagner

For struggling students, teachers are often left with minimal materials and opportunities to provide pre-teaching and reteaching. This unit was created with those students in mind. In this third-grade unit, students will identify the types of addition and/or subtraction problems which they are asked to solve. Students will use strategies with which they are already familiar with, as well as be introduced to the tape diagram in order to solve rigorous word problems that are aligned to Common Core State Standards. Using the tape diagram, students will be able to better visualize what information they are given in a word problem and what they need to solve for. The word problems provided were carefully crafted to provide for rich discussion, careful problem solving, and seamless use with the tape diagram. Lessons were designed to be implemented in twenty minutes and/or be easily combined if time allows.