An excellent way to speed up basic addition and subtraction!

Instructions to practice addition and subtraction to 10:

• Copy and laminate the number cards. Only use cards 1 to 10. Cut them out to create 鈥榩acks鈥� of number cards. Each pack must contain 2 of each number (so make sure there are 20 cards in each pack).
• Children must work in pairs: Give each 鈥榩air鈥� a shuffled pack of number cards and 2 answer sheets (called 鈥榓dd numbers to 10鈥� and 鈥榮ubtract numbers to 10鈥�). One child must be the 鈥榪uestioner鈥� (they hold the answer sheets and number cards); the other child is the 鈥榓nswerer鈥欌€� they answer the questions (they don鈥檛 hold anything).
• The 鈥榪uestioner鈥� takes 2 cards from the top of the pile and says 鈥楢DD鈥� or 鈥楧IFFERENCE鈥�. If the 鈥榪uestioner鈥� says 鈥楢DD鈥�, the answerer must add the numbers. If the questioner says 鈥楧IFFERENCE鈥�, the answerer must take the smaller number away from the larger number. The questioner must always check the answer using the answer sheets in front of them. This continues until the teacher says 鈥楥HANGE PLACES鈥�. At this point, the children change roles (the answerer becomes the questioner and vice versa).

Instructions to add and subtract to 20:

SAME AS ABOVE EXCEPT 鈥�

• Copy and laminate the number cards (cards 1 to 20). Cut them out to create packs of number cards. Each pack must contain 2 of each number (so make sure there are 40 cards in each pack).
• Children must work in pairs: Give each 鈥榩air鈥� a shuffled pack of number cards and 2 answer sheets ( 鈥榓dd numbers to 20鈥� and 鈥榮ubtract numbers to 20鈥�).

*I have used this method for 10 years and the results have been excellent. There is no marking involved and the children really enjoy being IN CHARGE of their own learning.