Bijtellen

Bijtellen is a Dutch term that translates to "adding on" or "counting on" in English. It refers to a mental arithmetic strategy used to perform addition. Instead of memorizing addition facts, a person using bijtellen starts with one of the numbers in the problem and then counts up the value of the second number. For example, to calculate 7 + 5, one might start at 7 and count up five times: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. This method is particularly useful for children learning addition, as it helps them visualize the process of increasing a quantity.

The bijtellen strategy can be applied in various ways. For smaller numbers, it might involve counting on fingers. For larger numbers, it can be done mentally or by using a number line. The core principle remains the same: incrementally increasing the starting number by the amount of the number being added. This strategy builds a foundational understanding of addition before moving on to more abstract methods. It emphasizes the concept of counting and quantity progression, making it a valuable tool in early mathematical education. Bijtellen is a practical and accessible way to solve addition problems.