When my students struggled with any math topic, I did my best to keep explaining it to them in different fashions until they got it. Sometimes it was a step-by- step instruction sheet that got them through, and I was happy to help. Below is an example of one such sheet. Once I put it in these terms, I would refer students to the "6 Steps" every time we had to solve these types of problems

Mrs. Rust's 6 Steps to Solving Equations

Step 1: If you don't like subtraction, CHANGE IT to addition of that number's inverse (for example, 4x-7 changes to 4x+(-7))

Step 2: When there are parenthesis, GET RID OF THEM (by distributing).

Step 3(a): When there are fractions, GET RID OF THEM by multiplying EACH TERM on BOTH SIDES by the lowest (or just a) common denominator. (b): If there are now parentheses, go back to step 2.

Step 4: Clean up each side of the equation if necessary by adding like terms on each side.

Step 5(a): Get the variable on one side of the equation by subtracting (or adding the opposite) of the smaller term. (b): Get all the numbers on the other side of the equation by subtracting (or adding it's opposite).

Step 6: Divide by the coefficient of the variable.