Why Every Student Needs to Memorize their Math Facts
Do your child a huge favor. Give them the gift of math literacy! Just as it's imperative for children to achieve reading fluency in order to move on in all subjects that require reading, it's imperative for children to achieve math fluency in addition and subtraction math facts and multiplication math facts.
How Do I Help my Child Memorize Math Facts
It is also important to figure out if there is some other physical handicap affecting the child's output or input skills. For example, a child with a writing handicap may get their brain totally frozen up when having to output the answers in writing. Or a child with a perfectionist streak may get frozen giving answers if not completely sure of them. A child with an eye stigmatism may not see the numbers clearly. A child with severe audio processing disorder may not hear your question clearly to be able to give an appropriate answer. A child with sleep difficulty may suffer from focus issues. There are many factors at play for children who may be struggling with math fact memorization. If you suspect a severe handicap, please have your child evaluated. Below we will proceed as if you have at least identified your child's handicap if present.
Left Brained versus Right Brained Dominant
Left-brained Dominant Learners
may benefit from...
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Right-brained Dominant Learners
may benefit from...
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Different Learning Styles
Audio Learners
Visual Learners
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Tactile Learners
Kinesthetic Learners
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Tips for Planning Practice Sessions
- Regardless of learning style, I recommend not practicing more than 1 to 8 facts at a time, unless they happen to be part of a song.
- Do not move forward with more facts till previous facts are mastered and put into memory.
- I recommend keeping practice sessions short - 5 minutes - unless a student really enjoys the practice and wants to do more.
- Practice daily so that students can keep building on the learning that happened while they slept.