Homeschool Math Success: Fix Learning Gaps with Math Fact Fluency
- Mar 26
- 5 min read
Why do homeschool students often find mathematics frustrating? It's because they may lack knowledge of the fundamental facts and building blocks of math and because they may need help to fix math learning gaps. Especially if they have changed their Math Curriculum from, for example, the South African CAPS to the US or UK Math Curriculum during the course of your homeschool journey.
To perform math effortlessly, students must be able to instantly write down the answers to math facts, as quickly as they can write. Learning gaps are normal and can be fixed!
How can we expect students to complete a complex task if they struggle with basic computational skills? This is especially relevant for students who find Math difficult and don't understand it intuitively or on their first try.
How do I achieve Homeschool Math Success and Fix Learning Gaps with Math Fact Fluency?
Math fact fluency refers to the skill of automatically and quickly recalling answers to basic math facts. Achieving fact fluency requires extensive practice, with both teachers and parents aiming for mastery of these fundamental math facts. You can achieve homeschool math success and help your child to fix learning gaps.
“Fluency refers to having efficient, accurate, and generalizable methods (algorithms) for computing that are based on well-understood properties
and number relationships.”
-National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000, p. 144
“Math fluency is the desired outcome of continuous learning and practice in math. It is more than memorizing math facts and recalling answers to questions. It is feeling confident and able to take part in math lessons and activities. It’s the ability to complete assignments and activities accurately, without hesitation.” May 23, 2016
Why is it important?
Learn math without fear, Stanford expert says Stanford Professor Jo Boaler says that students most effectively learn “math facts” working on problems that they enjoy, rather than through exercises and drills they fear. Speed pressure, timed testing and blind memorization damage children’s experience of math, she says. (Sourced from https://news.stanford.edu/2015/01/29/math-learning-boaler-012915/ on 15.11.2018)
Some of the sub-processes, particularly basic facts, need to be developed to the point that they are done automatically. If this fluent retrieval does not develop, then the development of higher-order mathematical skills, such as multiple digit addition and subtraction, and fractions-may be severely impaired. (Resnick, 1983).
“Once procedures are automatized, they require little conscious effort to use, which, in turn, frees intentional and working memory resources for use on other more important features of the problem” (Geary, 1995).
Math facts fluency leads to higher order mathematics
By achieving automaticity, students can free their working memory, allowing them to focus on problem-solving and acquiring new concepts and skills (Geary, 1994). In essence, not being fluent in recalling basic math facts greatly impedes a child's future progress in problem-solving, algebra, and advanced math concepts.
Fluent math facts mean less confusion
Math facts are crucial as they serve as the foundation for more advanced math concepts. Once a child masters these math facts, understanding higher-level concepts becomes much easier, and the student can solve them more quickly. If a child spends excessive time on basic facts, they are more likely to become confused with the processes and lose track in their calculations.
Math fact automaticity affects performance – not only in Math
In the later years of elementary school, students are tasked with longer and more complex computations to assess their grasp of different concepts. At this point, if a student hasn't memorized their math facts, they will spend an excessive amount of time on smaller calculations, potentially risking the completion of the test. This impacts their performance not only in math but also in other subjects like science and geography.
Less Math Anxiety
Math is similar to languages in certain aspects. Just as you must learn to combine letters into words and words into sentences—with strategies like phonics and sight words aiding children in reading—math facts serve as the foundational elements for advancing in mathematics. Mastery in both language and math involves some rote learning. Math anxiety arises when children lag behind and struggle to catch up. To prevent this anxiety, the early elementary years should emphasize acquiring foundational math skills necessary for future learning, with math facts being crucial among these skills.
When and how should I teach Math Fluency?
In middle school (grades 6 to 8), students shift from understanding basic concepts to organizing and synthesizing information by graphing, estimating, solving equations, and more.
Math Fluency Tests
Children should learn the operations in sequence: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. If a child needs to begin with addition facts, testing the other operations is unnecessary. However, there is an exception: for children in 4th grade or higher, multiplication facts take precedence because they can't be counted on fingers. Mastery of multiplication facts is crucial for advancing in math computation, fractions, and pre-algebra, so you shouldn't wait until they have mastered addition and subtraction. You can address those skills later. (Sourced from http://www.rocketmath.com on 15.11.2018).
Online Tech Tools & Resources for Achieving Math Fact Fluency
Online Tech tools can assist children during this crucial phase by offering engaging activities that enhance their math fluency and confidence. This list includes games that encourage problem-solving, social platforms for collaborating on challenging mathematical concepts, and lessons centered around real-world ideas to make math more meaningful for middle school students.
Here are a few options for you to explore as reviewed by Common Sense Education
Freckle:
Prodigy:
Mangahigh:
Woot Math:
Explore Learning Gizmos:
Twelve a dozen:
Cue Think:
Dragonbox Algebra 12+:
Tuva Labs:
Mathalicious:
My 2 favorites are Elephant Learning and Matific
Elephant Learning:
Learn 1 Year of Mathematics in 3 months*
Students using Elephant Learning just 40 minutes per week learned almost 1.7 years of mathematics in just 13 weeks. Available for web, mobile, and tablet.
We cover from counting through Algebra and accept students of all ages. The curriculum is delivered via gamification, think "Angry Birds" but for mathematics. We help with mathematics anxiety through coaching.
With a PhD in Mathematics & Computer Sciences, Dr. Nagrath has spent over 30 years in industry as a software engineer, author, leader, speaker, and serial entrepreneur working on everything from atomic clocks to iOS and Android apps to Amazon’s Kindle Fire. As the Founder of Elephant Head Software, which won the prestigious JD Edwards Innovation Award in 2015, he has also done software projects for Pearson, Verizon, Telefonica, JD Edwards (Oracle), and other billion dollar companies.
Now with Elephant Learning, Dr. Nagrath has taught nearly 200,000 years of mathematics to over 160,000 students around the world, and is on a mission to change the way the world teaches mathematics.
COST: $10 pm Scholarship option
Matific:
Matific is designed by educational experts to foster the teaching and learning of conceptual understanding for grade R to 9 students. Immersing students in an engaging learning platform, Matific covers your mathematics curriculum and supports students to achieve mastery in a playful and thought-provoking manner.
In Matific, students progress at their own pace and engage with a unique sequence of interactive activities. Students use the immediate interactive feedback to adjust their thinking while solving each problem. There is a real-time inbuilt reporting system that will allow teachers and parents to track the students’ progress at every step of he way.
The Matific Learning Sequence also covers your local curriculum. Curriculum Aligned Matific’s content is mapped and aligned to over 200 curricula and textbooks around the globe. A South African, CAPS-aligned version is available, also US or UK aligned versions, you can choose what fits your homeschool curriculum.
Matific's vision is to provide every child in every country with a mathematical experience of the highest possible quality. The platform is grounded in a rigorous pedagogy that builds deep conceptual understanding of mathematics.
COST: R89 pm (South Africa) check website for other countries, e.g. US or UK.
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