Check that the students can identify the number of dots on any tens frame card instantly without counting. Then focus their attention on the empty spaces so they realise that the dots plus the spaces equal 10. Practise all the combinations that make 10.

For subtraction, take a card with 10 dots on it and ask the students to imagine removing some dots. For example, for 10 minus four the students image four dots removed and see that there are six dots left. Check this by covering four dots. This leaves six dots exposed.

Practice all 12 combinations of every basic fact. For example the basic fact 3 + 7 = 10 is linked to all these problems:

3 + 7 = ?           ? + 7 = 10       3 + ? = 10        7 + 3 = ?

? + 3 = 10        7 + ? = 10        10 – 7 = ?        ? – 7 = 3

10 – ? = 3        10 – 3 = ?        ? – 3 = 7          10 – ? = 7