Addition and Subtraction of Numbers Through Visualisation Using the Number Grid Technique Among Primary School Students

This research investigates the effectiveness of a spatial imagery-based method, utilizing a number grid, as an attempt to teach addition and subtraction to elementary school students. Rooted in Bruner's cognitive development theory, the study considers enactive, iconic, and symbolic stages, introducing the number grid through a series of interventions. Additionally, the study seeks to identify the common errors that students make while engaging in the learning process through visualisation using number grid. The qualitative approach, involving observations, interviews, and assessments, assesses the performance of eleven home-schooled students of grades two and three. Results reveal a progression in proficiency from enactive to symbolic stages, with a distinct challenge observed in subtraction at the iconic stage. Notably, grade three students, acquainted with the standard algorithm, exhibited potential resistance to alternative strategies.