Careless errors occur simply because they are not paying attention, or are working too fast. Some examples might be: 1. Copying the problem wrong to begin with 2. Writing a wrong number 3. Dropping a negative … See more

The second type of mistake is computational. This means somewhere in the process they incorrectly added, subtracted, multiplied or divided. Making one computational mistake in a multi-step problem … See more

Conceptual errors occur because kids have misunderstood the underlying concepts or have used incorrect logic. This is the most difficult type of error to identify at first glance. This is also the most difficult type of error for students to recognize, but it is the most importantto catch and correct. When students make conceptual errors, it’s poss... See more

In the early elementary years, it can be difficult to analyze errors, because so much of what they’re learning is computational. It can be easy then to dismiss mistakes as simply computational mistakes and move on. Take some time to dig deeper, though. Talk through the steps and require kids to show their thinkingwhen they solve. For … See more