Three

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

12 Steps
for

3
INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT

Learning
Subtraction
MAIN CLASS MATH

F or smooth learning in subtraction, instruction

utilizing worksheet structure is essential. Here
are three steps for learning subtraction in Level A.
students first learn how to find previous numbers
in Subtracting 1 in A 81-90. They then improve the
skills to find out answers for problems with bigger
Aims and notes for instruction are presented for subtrahends by practicing finding out “previous,
each step. previous…numbers” in Subtracting 2 and
RECOMMENDED READING LIST

Subtracting 3. Subtrahends become bigger in the

STEP ONE: 10-worksheet span so that students can gradually
improve their skills to calculate subtraction. Also,
From Subtracting 1
as seen on worksheet 91a, students can use the
to Subtracting up to 5 (A 81- 130)
number tables as hints until they get used to the
counting-down method. For example, students who
Acquire the skills to find out answers cannot instantly answer ‘ 8 - 2 = ’ still become more
for subtraction without help familiar with finding previous, previous numbers by
The aim of A 81-130 is to have students build following the number tables, “8 , 7 , 6 ,” at the top of
WORKSHEET STUDY

the skills to find out answers for subtraction, even the worksheet.
without help. With the Kumon Method, subtraction
is introduced by finding the “previous number” A 91a
Subtraction 2 (Subtracting 2)
R ®
A 91

(counting-down method). By using this method,

Name

100% $
90% $
80% $
70% 69% $
Date / /
(mistakes) 0 1 2$3 4$5 6$

Time : to :

even preschoolers can start learning subtraction.

` Subtract.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
© 2008 Kumon Institute of Education JP JP 2009 EN
SELF-LEARNING

(1) 3 - 2 = 1

Worksheet Contents (2) 4 - 2 = 2

(3) 5 - 2 =
A81- 90 −1 (4) 6 - 2 =

A91- 100 −2 (5) 7 - 2 =

INSTRUCTORS CONFERENCE

(6) 8 - 2 =

A101- 110 −3 (7) 9 - 2 =

A111- 120 Up to − 3
(8) 10 - 2 =

A121- 130 Up to − 5
It is essential to fully develop the skills in each
section before moving on to the next, especially in
However, getting used to the procedure to find the case of preschoolers, as they are more likely to
previous numbers is not necessarily easy; therefore, lose their motivation. For example, if their skills to

22 VOICES SUMMER 2013

find out previous numbers did not fully develop
in Subtracting 1, and they experience difficulty STEP TWO:
finding previous, previous numbers in Subtracting “2 digits− 1 digit”
2, they may become demotivated. Therefore, you to “2 digits− 2 digits” (A 131- 180)
should make sure students fully understand how
to find previous numbers in Subtracting 1 before Acquire the skills to find out answers
proceeding to Subtracting 2, and likewise confirm
for subtraction with 2-digit minuends
if students can find previous, previous numbers
without difficulty in Subtracting 2 before proceeding The aim of A 131-180 is to have students acquire
to Subtracting 3. the skills to find out answers by themselves for
In A 111-120, the section of Subtracting up to 3, “2 digits - 1 digit” and “2 digits - 2 digits,” whose
the three subtrahends they have learned appear in minuends are from 10 to 16. Some subtrahends
a mixed order so that students can further improve are bigger than ones in the previous section;
their subtraction skills for each subtrahend. however, the worksheet structure enables students
to gradually learn subtraction with 2-digit minuends
A 121a
Subtraction 5 (Subtracting up to 5)
R ®
A 121 without too much difficulty.
Name

100% $ 90% $ 80% $ 70% 69% $

Date / /
(mistakes) 0 1 2$3 4$5 6$

Time : to :
` Subtract.
A 151
(1) 5 - 1 = R
®

A 1 5 1 an 8 (From numbers up to 12) A 152a

© 2008 Kumon Institute of Education JP JP 2009 EN

Subtractio Name
R
Subtraction 8 (From
®

/ /
numbers up to
(2) 5 - 2 = 100% 90% $ 80% $ 70% 697 %
5$6
$
Date
: to
:
12) A 152

100%
$
3$4
$

1$2 Time Name

(mistakes) 0
(mistakes)
$
90% $
80% 70% 69%
0
$
1$2 Date
3$4
/
$
5$6 7$ /
(3) 5 - 3 = ` Subtract. Time :
9 - 2 =
` Subtract. to :
(1)
(1)
11 - 1 =
9 - 6 =
© 2008 Kumon

© 2008 Kumon Institute

(4) 5 - 4 = (2)
(2)
11 - 2 =
6 - 1 = (3) 10 - 3 =
Institu

(5) (3)
11 - 5 =
te of Education

10 - 1 =

of Education JP
(4)
(6) 6 - 2 = (4)
11 - 3 =
10 - 5 =
JP JP 2009 EN

(5)
(5)
11 - 4 =

JP 2009 EN
(7) 6 - 3 =
(6) 10 - 8 = (6)
11 - 8 =
(8) 6 - 4 = (7) 10 - 4 =
A 153a R ®
A 153
(7)
11 - 7 =
10 - 2 =
Subtraction 8 (From numbers up to 12)
(9) 6 - 5 = (8)
100% 90%
Name
80%
(8)
11 - 6 =
70% 69% Date / /
10 - 6 =
$ $ $ $
(mistakes) 0 1$2 3$4 5$6 7$ ® A 154
: A 154a R
(9) Time to :
8 (From numbers up to 12)
` Subtract.
(9)
Subtraction 11 - 9 = Name

(1)
(10 ) 11 - 72 ==
10 100% 90% $ 80% $ 70% 69% $
Date / /

11 - 10 =
$
7$
((mistakes)
10 ) 0 1$2 3$4 5$6
: to :
Time
© 2008 Kumon Institute of Education JP JP 2009 EN

In A 121-130, the section of Subtracting up to 5, ( 11

2 )
( ) 10 -- 39 ==
11 ` Subtract.
( 11 )
(1) 11 -- 11
12 1 ==
the larger subtrahends 4 and 5 appear. The layout of 11 - 6 =
(3)
© 2008 Kumon Institute of Education

(2) 12 - 2 =
(4) 11 - 4 =
the first problems of Subtracting up to 5 is designed (5) 11 - 5 =
(3) 12 - 4 =

to enable students to apply the skills needed (6) 12 - 1 =

(4) 12 - 3 =
12 - 5 =
JP JP 2009 EN

to find answers in Subtracting 3. For example,

(5)
(7) 12 - 2 =
(6) 12 - 6 =
‘ 6 - 3 = ’ can be used as a hint to answer ‘ 6 - 4 = ’ (8) 12 - 3 =
(7) 12 - 8 =
at its introduction. By looking at the sequence of 12 - 4 =
(9)

(8) 12 - 7 =
( 10 ) 12 - 5 =
problems, some students may notice that ‘ 6 - 4 = ’ ( 11 ) 12 - 6 =
(9) 12 - 9 =

is a previous number of ‘ 6 - 3 = ,’ and ‘ 6 - 5 = ’ (10 ) 12 - 10 =

12 - 11 =
is a previous number of ‘ 6 - 4 = ’. However, if the
( 11 )

skills to find out the answer for Subtracting 3 are

insufficient, students might struggle with Subtracting Newly introduced minuends are presented
up to 5, by using such method. In these cases, to repeatedly in the same 10-worksheet set. For
further improve the skills to find previous numbers, example, in 141-150, approximately 70 percent of
you may need to have students continue practicing problems are with a minuend of 11, which is newly
the counting-down method to find answers for introduced. Students practice the same problems
subtracting 4 and 5 as well. repeatedly so that they can memorize the answers
Some students get stuck where subtrahends of problems with a minuend of 11. However, some
change in Subtracting up to 3 and up to 5. For these students continue using their fingers to find out
students, appropriate support, such as answering answers for all the problems. In this case, you should
together, can be given until they get used to the encourage students not to use their fingers and to
changes in subtrahends. try to find out answers without counting.

VOICES @ KUMON.COM SUMMER 2013 VOICES 23

 A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Problem # of effective method for everyone, and do not encourage

appearances
all students to do so.
11 − 1 = 15 Worksheet structure also allows students to review
11 − 2 = 15 the minuends they have learned in the previous
11 − 3 = 15 worksheet sets while proceeding. In other words,
subtraction with previously learned minuends
11 − 4 = 16 appears in the first few pages of each 10-worksheet
11 − 5 = 15 set in A 131-180. In A 151-160, for example,
11 − 6 = 16 problems with minuends from 9 to 11, which are
INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT

formerly studied up to A 150, are presented in

11 − 7 = 15 A 151-152. Then, from A 153 onwards, students
11 − 8 = 15 start practicing the new problems with minuend 12.
11 − 9 = 15 Likewise, in 161-170, students study subtraction
with minuends learned up to A 150 first and then
11 − 10 = 15 study subtraction with new minuends 13 and 14. In
11 − 11 = 14 this way, the worksheet structure enables students to
review the minuends they have previously learned
MAIN CLASS MATH

Also, there are some cases in which students as well as to study new ones.
continue feeling unconfident about their answers It is essential to utilize the worksheet structure
when subtrahends become bigger, such as when making an individualized study plan. Strong
‘11 - 9 = ’. For such students, it is essential to students, for example, may be able to improve the
make them feel secure and able to study without skills for subtraction while proceeding, because they
RECOMMENDED READING LIST

anxiety, for example, by observing closely until they will see those problems again in later sets, even
become familiar with newly introduced minuends. though they have some minuends that they are
For students with a high level of addition skills, it unsure about. In such cases, you may have students
might be possible to teach them that the minuend is proceed without repetitions up to A 180 first and
equal to the sum of the subtrahend and the answer, then consider if they need repetition or not. On
and then encourage them to verify their answers. the other hand, there are cases where preschoolers
By using this method, some students can learn to and/or weaker students experience difficulty if new
answer with confidence. However, with preschoolers minuends are introduced one after another. For
and/or weaker students, it might be too difficult to these students, you should ensure that they fully
WORKSHEET STUDY

check their answers by using addition. So, please develop the skills in each 10-worksheet set before
note that verification using addition is not an proceeding to the next set.

Worksheet Minuends
SELF-LEARNING

A131- 140 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

A141- 150 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

A151- 160 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
INSTRUCTORS CONFERENCE

A161- 170 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

A171- 180 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

A181- 190 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

A191- 200 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

24 VOICES SUMMER 2013

STEP THREE: Some students may take more time because they get
From Numbers up to 20 stuck where different minuends appear, and their
to Summary of Subtraction (A 181- 200) completion times become longer as a result. It is
important, though, to aim for students to finish within
the SCT by assigning repetition. For preschoolers
Further improve the skills to calculate
and/or weaker students, however, completion times
subtraction with borrowing may not become shorter with repetition. In these
The aim of A 181-200 is to cases, it is possible to have students
enable students to answer problems proceed to addition in Level B and
with 2-digit minuends smoothly, A 191a
Subtraction 12 (Summary of subtraction)
R ®

try to improve their subtraction

A 191

especially problems with borrowing. skills again in B 101-120. This is

Name

100% $
90% $
80% $
70% 69% $
Date / /
(mistakes) 0 1$2 3$4 5$6 7$

Time : to :

To achieve this goal, “2 digits - because we could expect their skills

` Subtract.
10 - 3 (1) =

© 2008 Kumon Institute of Education JP JP 2009 EN

1 digit” problems with borrowing, 10 - 6 (2) = for subtraction to improve more
whose minuends are in the range 10 - 8 (3) =
smoothly in Level B than in Level
11 - 2 =
from 10 to 20, are mainly presented. A as their addition and work skills
(4)

11 - 4 (5) =
Students tend to progress to vertical 11 - 5 (6) =
are enhanced more through vertical
subtraction in Level B more easily if 11 - 8 (7) = addition in Level B.
their skills to calculate subtraction 12 - 2 (8) = How much students develop
with borrowing are sufficiently 12 - 4 (9) =
their skills in A 181-200 should be
12 - 6 =
improved in this section. considered individually according to
(1 0 )

12 - 8 ( 11 ) =
In A 191-200, there is an increase their ability. Please aim to improve
in the number of different minuends students’ subtraction skills as
presented in the same worksheet. efficiently as possible while utilizing
Compared to the worksheets up to A 190, the worksheet structure. To do so, it is essential to have
difficulty level increases in this last 10-worksheet a study projection not only for Level A but also for
set, so the SCT is relatively longer: 2-3 minutes. higher levels. ■

VOICES @ KUMON.COM SUMMER 2013 VOICES 25