Helping Kids Learn Basic Math Facts

[Anonymous]

I was posting a link to a math workbok I really like and found this article on the publishers website. I think it is really useful information.


http://longevitypublishing.com/tips.html

[Anonymous]

This was me in first grade: I always aced those "Mad Minute tests" but never learned to add. I just counted really fast. To this day I still count to add, and it slows me down when doing problems in my head.

A second group of children tested for speed includes children needing to use fingers, counters, counting in their head, number lines, or charts to get the answers. These children do not know many of the answers, and they are not learning to memorize the facts by taking the timed test. The test measures how quickly and accurately they can count to get answers. I have watched some children in this group get through the first row of facts quickly because they have memorized the sequence of answers. Others, if given the same math fact problem more than once on a page, use a strategy to take the time to search for the answer that is somewhere else on the page. These children ought not to be taking timed tests until we teach them a way to remember the answers.

[Anonymous]

Thx for posting this. Interesting.

[Anonymous]

You kind of have to scroll down to get to the part I was linking to that I found interesteing.

Math facts tested in a minute - what are these timed tests really testing?

Adults often assign children arithmetic papers filled with rows of addition or subtraction facts, and perhaps mixed addition and subtraction facts. Sometimes we give the children a set amount of minutes in which to complete these pages, and the children cannot advance to the next stage until they can accurately answer these facts in a specific amount of time. I do not advocate these timed tests before children have memorized answers or have a strategy to use to answer the facts.

I have watched many children take timed tests. There are students who may know the answers automatically, but tend to write slower or are slower by nature to respond. Some of these children could also be the ones that are concerned about neatness; they use time to carefully erase incorrectly formed numerals, and then rewrite answers perfectly. In addition, some children stop to fix their hair when long bangs or hair gets in the way of seeing the page. (I suggest headbands or something to use to tie back hair.)

With this first group, the ability to write fast or stay on task, not math fact knowledge, is tested. Allow another way to test proficiency for these students, who may in fact know the answers without counting, but just cannot seem to complete the page quick enough.

A second group of children tested for speed includes children needing to use fingers, counters, counting in their head, number lines, or charts to get the answers. These children do not know many of the answers, and they are not learning to memorize the facts by taking the timed test. The test measures how quickly and accurately they can count to get answers. I have watched some children in this group get through the first row of facts quickly because they have memorized the sequence of answers. Others, if given the same math fact problem more than once on a page, use a strategy to take the time to search for the answer that is somewhere else on the page. These children ought not to be taking timed tests until we teach them a way to remember the answers.

Just given random written practice, many students will not learn math facts. Timed or not timed, the exercise is frustrating and useless when children do not know answers on the page. Teach them strategies to remember and memorize the math facts. Give children written practice on the math facts they can answer successfully.