For 4 + 3, give the students a pre-printed frame with four dots on it. Get the students to add three counters, first by completing a five then putting the other two counters in the blank column. Expect the students to recognise this as totalling to seven without counting.

Repeat for a variety of addition facts. Encourage the students to visualise the answer before they put the counters on the tens frame.

For subtraction, use blank tens frames. For example, to work out 8 – 4 get the students to place eight counters on a blank tens frame (as five and three not four and four), then encourage them to visualise which four counters will be removed and have them check the answer by removing them.

Repeat for a variety of subtraction facts.