The Harmful Effects of Carrying and Borrowing in Grades 1-4!

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~ Constance Kamii!

Research was done on how algorithms impact student learning in grade 1-4 students. They had
students grouped off into control groups; those using algorithms, those not using algorithms and
those who have had some exposure to algorithms. Students were given addition problems to
solve using only mental math strategies (no paper and pencil). !

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Findings:!
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Grade two: 45% of the students got the correct answer without using algorithms, 26%
accuracy of those with some exposure to algorithms and only 12% got it correct that used
algorithms.!

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The wrong answers given were more reasonable by the students not using algorithms.!
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Grade three: 50% of the students got the correct answer without using algorithms, 32% and
20% got it correct that used algorithms or had some exposure to algorithms.!

Grade four: All students were taught algorithms! Percents of accuracy range from 17-30% in
each group. !
**It is noted that the grade two class with no prior knowledge about algorithms were more
successful in solving the problem.!

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Argument for why Algorithms are harmful to young children:!
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1) They encourage children to give up on their own thinking.!

2) They unteach what children know about place value, preventing them from developing
number sense.!

** When children are allowed to think on their own they will typically go left to right rather than
the algorithm which teaches to go right to left. This takes away their own thinking!!

** The problem with borrowing and carrying is that often children only see each number in each
column as a ones because they have not mastered place value but is this unteaching them what
place value is by them thinking that each column of numbers is in the ones.!

Once again the argument is that we do not want to teach students to only get the right answer
but to be able to think logically about the problem and solve within their realm of cognition.