GiGi’s Playhouse 1‐on‐1 Math Tutoring Program Curriculum Guide 101

Appendix B: TouchMath Basics

(adapted from 2012 TouchMath Teacher Training Manual)

Counting Touchpoints:

Each TouchMath numeral has a corresponding number of TouchPoints placed upon the numeral.

It is important to use the same pattern consistently. The single TouchPoints are touched and counted once,
while the double TouchPoints are touched and counted twice. The correct Touching/Counting patterns are
shown below:

Beginning Addition using TouchMath:

In the beginning you will count all the TouchPoints on both numbers.
Teach the phrase, “I touch and count all the TouchPoints on the numbers.”
1. Begin counting with the top number in the column, 5: “1,2,3,4,5.”
2. Continue counting on the 4: “6,7,8,9”. Record the answer: 9.
3. Reinforce the addition facts by repeating the problem and answer aloud, “Five plus four equals
9.”
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Addition with Counting On:

When a student can identify the greater number, you can introduce the concept of “Counting On”.
This allows you to start with the greater number and then continue counting.
Teach the Addition Counting On statement, “I touch the greater number, say its name and continue
counting on the TouchPoints of the other number(s).”
1. Touch the greater number and say its name, “8”.
2. Continue counting on the TouchPoints of the 4: “9,10,11,12”. Record the answer 12.
3. Reinforce the addition facts by repeating the problem and answer aloud. “Eight plus Four
equals Twelve”
Note the greater number may not have TouchPoints on the worksheets to help the students identify
the greater number. If the student still needs all the TouchPoints, you can draw them in.

Addition Without Regrouping

Teach the Arrow Statement. “I start on the side with the arrow. The arrow is in the ones column on
the right side.”
1. Say the greater number in the ones column: “6,” and continue counting on the TouchPoints of
the 2: “7,8.”
2. Record the answer: 8.
3. Repeat step 2 in the tens column: “4” and continue counting on the TouchPoints of the 3:
“5,6,7.” Record the answer 7.
4. Repeat the problem and answer aloud. “forty‐two plus thirty‐six equals seventy‐eight.”
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Addition With Regrouping

Teach the Addition Regrouping statement, “I must regroup if my answer is greater than 9”.
Begin in the one’s column below the arrow.

1. Say the name of the greater number “8” and continue counting on the 7: “9,10,11,12,13,14,15”.
2. Use the box to record the number of the tens regrouped to the tens column (1).
3. Record the number of ones (5). Add the tens column starting at the top “1,2,3,4,5,6”. Record
the answer 6.
4. Repeat the problem and answer aloud. “twenty‐seven plus thirty‐eight equals sixty‐five”.

Subtraction – Counting Backward

Students will need to count backward from 18 and every other number below 18. Practice counting
backward from any number and stopping at any number. When teaching backward counting work on
one number at a time and practice until students are proficient with counting backward from that
number.

Beginning Subtraction
Teach the Beginning Subtraction Statement, “I touch the first number, say its name and count
backward on the TouchPoints of the other number.”
1. Touch the top number and say its name: “7”.
2. Count backward on the TouchPoints of the 5: “6,5,4,3,2.”
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3. Record the answer: 2.

4. Reinforce the subtraction facts by repeating the problem and the answer aloud. “seven minus
five equals two”

Subtraction Without Regrouping

Teach double‐digit subtraction without regrouping by starting with the Arrow Statement, “I start on
the side with the arrow. The arrow is in the ones column on the right side.”
1. Touch the top number and say its name: “7”.
2. Count backward on the TouchPoints of the 4: “6,5,4,3”
3. Record the answer 3.
4. Repeat the process in the tens column.
5. Reinforce the subtraction facts by repeating the problem and answer aloud. “sixty‐seven minus
twenty‐four equals forty‐three”.

Subtraction With Regrouping

Teach the Subtraction Regrouping Statement: “If I cannot count all of the TouchPoints, I must
regroup.”
1. Count backwards in the ones column from 3: “2,1,0”. Students will discover they cannot count
all the TouchPoints on the 6.
2. Regroup or borrow one ten from the tens column.
3. Cross out the top number, 8, and write the regrouped number, 7, on the bar.
4. Write the regrouped ten in front of the 3 in the ones column, making it as large at the three
changing the number to 13.
5. Count backward from the regrouped number, 13: “12,11, 10, 9, 8, 7.”
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6. Record the answer: 7.

7. Subtract the tens column first say the regrouped number 7, then “6,5,4.” Record the answer 4.
8. Repeat the subtraction problem and answer aloud. “eighty‐three minus thirty‐six equals forty‐
seven”.

Multiplication and Division ‐ Skip Counting

Skip counting is a critical skill for multiplication, division and higher mathematical development. Teach
one sequence at a time. Start with the 2s sequence: 2,4,6….to20. Teach each sequence for the 2s
through 9s.

Beginning Multiplication
Teach the Multiplication statement: “I skip count by one number while touching the TouchPoints on
the other number.”
4. Skip count by 2 while touching the TouchPoints on the 6: “2,4,6,8,10,12”.
5. Record the answer: 12.
6. Reinforce the facts by repeating the problem and answer aloud. “six times two equals twelve”

Multiplication Without Regrouping

Teach the statement: “I start on the side with the arrow. The arrow is on the right side.”
6. Skip count by 3 while touching the TouchPoints on the 2: “3,6”.
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7. Record the answer: 6.

8. Skip count while touching the TouchPoints on the 3: “3,6,9”.
9. Record the answer: 9.
10. Reinforce the numbers by saying the problem and answer aloud. “thirty‐two times 3 equals
96.”

Multiplication with Regrouping

Begin by teaching the regrouping statement: “I must regroup if my answer is greater than 9.”
6. Skip count by 8 while touching the TouchPoints of the 7: “8,16,24,32,40,56”.
7. Write the 5 tens in the box first, then write the 6 ones in the ones column.
8. Count by 8 while touching the TouchPoints on the 6: “8,16,24,32,40,48”.
9. Add the tens in the box: 49,50,51,52,53.
10. Record the answer 53.

Beginning Division
Teach the division statement: “I skip count by the divisor and get as close to the dividend as possible
without going over the dividend.”
5. Skip count by 2: “2,4,6,8”.
6. As each number is counted make a tally mark in the box above the division problem.
7. Count the tally marks.
8. Record the answer: 4.
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Division with Remainders

Teach the division with remainders statement: “I skip count by the divisor and get as close to the
dividend as possible without going over the dividend. Then I continue counting by one up to the
dividend.”
4. Skip count by 3. As each number is counted, make a tally mark in the box. Come as close as
you can without going over: “3,6,9,12,15,18,21.”
5. To find the remainder, continue counting forward by ones. Put dots outside of the box for each
number counted: “22,23.”
6. Count the tally marks and record the answer: 7. Count the dots and record the remainder: 2.

Long Division
12. Divide the 4 in the hundreds column by 3, and record the answer.
13. Multiply 3 by 1 and record the answer below the 4.
14. Subtract 3 from 4 and record the answer.
15. Bring down the 6 in the tens column.
16. Divide 16 by 3 and record the answer.
17. Multiply 3 by 5 and record the answer.
18. Subtract 15 from 16 and record the answer.
19. Bring down the 0 in the ones column.
20. Divide 10 by 3 and record the answer.
21. Multiply 3 by 3 and record the answer.
22. Subtract 9 from 10 and record the answer, which is the remainder.
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Short Division
6. Divide the 4 in the hundreds column by 3 and record the answer: 1.
7. Mentally subtract 3 from 4 and write the 1 in front of the 6 in the tens column.
8. Divide 16 by 3. Write the answer 5.
9. Mentally subtract 15 from 16. Write the 1 in front of the 0 in the ones column.
10. Divide 10 by 3. Write the answer: 3. Then write the remainder: 1