In Year 2, pupils were delighted to start using the column method for subtraction with regrouping—especially because it meant getting their tens frames and whiteboards out, which instantly makes everything feel ten times more important. Using the tens frame helps them spot exactly when the ones digit is having a small hiccup and needs to borrow from the tens. Meanwhile, the whiteboard becomes a dramatic stage where numbers appear, disappear, and occasionally get wiped out by an overenthusiastic swipe. With regrouping made visual and fun, students quickly gain confidence in tackling subtraction problems that once seemed scarier than losing their favourite pencil.
