warriormom Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 How should I teach my son to memorize addition and subtraction math facts? When should I start before he starts addition in Singapore math essentials kindergarten B or after? Any programs, cds or mnemonic devices that I should consider? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooahwife Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I don't know anything about Singapore math, but what I do with my kids is just get some coins and practice adding and subtracting with them. I think it's easier for them to get it when they see what is being added and subtracted. My kids think it's fun. Later they can see it written out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicagoshannon Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I'm wondering that too. I think I'm going to start soon. I saw addition and subtraction flashcards in the dollar section of Target the other day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Repetition through the first and second grade years. In K, you could do games, but I wouldn't drill too hard. In K, you just introduce the concept of addition and subtraction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 How should I teach my son to memorize addition and subtraction math facts? When should I start before he starts addition in Singapore math essentials kindergarten B or after? Any programs, cds or mnemonic devices that I should consider? :confused: I don't think so. Singapore Math teaches "mental math" strategies for doing quick computing in ones head. IMO it is better to walk-through/talk-through those strategies (making sure they are understood) rather than short-circuiting the process through "memorization." Sooner or later "memorization" is ineffective because the numbers get too large. But the skills of doing mental math are "scaleable" to increasingly large numbers. Quick recall comes with practice, work, and a real understanding of the computations. This is better than rote memorization IMO. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Quick recall comes with practice, work, and a real understanding of the computations. This is better than rote memorization IMO. :iagree:Practice, not memorization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navneet_20us Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I agree Practice will eventually help them memorise, BUT, in PS where my son goes (2nd garder) they administer Timed drills, they have to answer atleast 30 out of 50, in 1 Minute. For which they have to memorise their facts.. I hate it though..Kids should have their concepts clear , not sure why they are advocating memorisation of Add/Subtract facts ..:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I agree Practice will eventually help them memorise, BUT, in PS where my son goes (2nd garder) they administer Timed drills, they have to answer atleast 30 out of 50, in 1 Minute. For which they have to memorise their facts.. I hate it though..Kids should have their concepts clear , not sure why they are advocating memorisation of Add/Subtract facts ..:confused: While I'm certainly no fan of mad math minutes, I think that they are advocating knowing the math facts for immediate recall. Whether the facts were learned via practice or rote memorization is another question entirely, IMO. I don't see the timed test as a method of helping them memorize. Actually, it's a method of practice, with the unfortunate involvement of the clock. (Does this make any sense?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I don't think so. Singapore Math teaches "mental math" strategies for doing quick computing in ones head. IMO it is better to walk-through/talk-through those strategies (making sure they are understood) rather than short-circuiting the process through "memorization." Sooner or later "memorization" is ineffective because the numbers get too large. But the skills of doing mental math are "scaleable" to increasingly large numbers. Quick recall comes with practice, work, and a real understanding of the computations. This is better than rote memorization IMO. Bill :iagree: I wait until my dc have that automatic recall of the basic facts before moving on, but I don't "drill and kill" by any means. There are too many better options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowfall Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I don't think so. Singapore Math teaches "mental math" strategies for doing quick computing in ones head. IMO it is better to walk-through/talk-through those strategies (making sure they are understood) rather than short-circuiting the process through "memorization." Sooner or later "memorization" is ineffective because the numbers get too large. But the skills of doing mental math are "scaleable" to increasingly large numbers. Quick recall comes with practice, work, and a real understanding of the computations. This is better than rote memorization IMO. Bill I agree. Kids will learn the math facts by doing the math, if you just do enough of it. Most kids anyway. That's what the Singapore will be teaching them, so you don't need to do it beforehand. We've never done any math flashcards, songs, or anything else for memorizing math facts. We just did math. We used MEP Yr. 1 and a tiny bit of Rightstart in K and that was enough. Of course, we used the Rightstart Alabacus and other manipulatives when doing the lessons, but really, the facts were memorized 100% from doing 1 MEP worksheet per day and the occasional Rightstart game (but the games weren't often at all because DD hated them until long after she'd gotten her facts down). And so you know, my dd is NOT good at memorizing things at all. lol Editing because I forgot that we did (and still do) play Sum Swamp. That's a fun game. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsfamily Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I don't think so. Singapore Math teaches "mental math" strategies for doing quick computing in ones head. IMO it is better to walk-through/talk-through those strategies (making sure they are understood) rather than short-circuiting the process through "memorization." Sooner or later "memorization" is ineffective because the numbers get too large. But the skills of doing mental math are "scaleable" to increasingly large numbers. Quick recall comes with practice, work, and a real understanding of the computations. This is better than rote memorization IMO. Bill :iagree: My ds memorized them naturally in PM 1A and 1B. Singapore's strategies work so well for him. Dh still gets blown away by ds's mental math abilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 :iagree: My ds memorized them naturally in PM 1A and 1B. Singapore's strategies work so well for him. Dh still gets blown away by ds's mental math abilities. :iagree: I'm finding the same thing with my daughter who is finishing 1B right now. My son, who is doing Singapore NEM, played games like Timex Attack if he wanted, but I never drilled him. He is having no problems with basic computation and applying it to higher level math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I just picked up 2 decks of playing cards for $1 at the Dollar Tree. I am planning on playing Math War with my dd. There are many versions: Basic (one with the highest amt on card) Addition Subtraction Multiplication and several more that increase in difficulty. Check the instructions here: http://letsplaymath.net/2006/12/29/the-game-that-is-worth-1000-worksheets/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petepie2 Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 We started Rod&Staff Grade 1 Math halfway through Kindergarten and this year (in 1st grade) we finished it and have started Grade 2 Math. It has done an excellent job of drilling math facts. This year we're also doing Singapore Primary Math 1 to learn some mental math strategies. It's been a great combination for us. I personally think memorizing math facts through 10 is a must. I mean at some point you want to immediately know that 10-3=7 and you don't want to have count backwards to get there. However, I think it needs to be learned through "doing" math and not in a vacuum with just flashcards alone. Some kids will catch on faster than others. FWIW, even in Singapore Math 1 (US edition), the instructor guide says in week 2 to "memorize" number pairs that make 2 through 10..and then later it mentions "memorizing" addition & subtraction facts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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