Frustratingly Funny

Smaller... a seemingly simple word.   Apparently with only one meaning for one of my students.  This boy has a really rough time with subtraction and addition.  He always wants to add regardless of the sign or story problem, but he can't add or subtract anyway so the answer is never right.  I am really beating my head against a wall with this kid.  So today, I send him to study hall to try to finish more subtraction practice.  The other first grade teacher looks over his paper when he is done and says "No, we are subtracting, not adding."  "Subtracting?" My student says.  "Yes, see the minus sign."  "Minus sign?" my student says.  "Yes, when you subtract the numbers get smaller."  "Smaller?" my student says.  "Yes, smaller."  "Smaller." my student says.  The teacher smiles and off my student goes to try again.  He returns moments later and (I wish I had taken a picture of the paper) the answers are erased and rewritten in the tiniest handwriting he can manage.  He wrote the exact same answer just SMALLER.  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.