Timed math facts tests--how many minutes/per x problems/age of kiddo

[Stellalarella]

What's a good time for completing a math facts drill (flashcards or a written worksheet)?

[ThisIsTheDay]

I was going to answer pretty much what Wendy said. A good time would be a decrease over time when compared to other problems of the same type.

 

When my kids were younger, we eventually switched to just finishing the page, or a certain number of problems. Timing it was of no benefit.

[Stellalarella]

OH, man. I was that kid who loved, loved, loved, doing timed multiplication drills in 3rd grade. :) :)

[SLT]

OH, man. I was that kid who loved, loved, loved, doing timed multiplication drills in 3rd grade. :) :)

 

 

Andrea, me too! I loved the day each week when we did a different times table (1-12) timed (about 1 minute for 20 facts?)... if you passed it then you move "up" to the next one the following week, and if you didn't you did the same one again. LOVED it. I will definitely be doing this with my kid. It solidified multiplication tables for me- and then my husband on the other hand, didn't know what a multiplication table WAS in college. That was fun trying to teach him at that age for his math classes!

[Stellalarella]

I think I liked doing timed tests because I had my facts mostly down, so for me it was not too much of a challenge, nor too little. Timing it just gave me a incentive to stretch.

 

The kids have learned their math facts and they are all doing addition with regrouping, I was just trying to think of a way for them to have more instant recall.

[Mandy in TN]

I will vote on a time. lol

 

I will say that 5 or less minutes for a worksheet of 100 addition facts up to 9+9 is good. Any time between 5 and 10 minutes is acceptable if there are no errors. If the child is taking longer than 10 minutes even without errors or is making more than 5 errors while finishing in a shorter amount of time, then he is certainly not working through the problems with immediacy of recall.

 

Not sure whether to sign off with HTH or let the bashing begin. :D

Mandy

[Mandy in TN]

My oldest went to therapy for his hands in 2nd grade, the school year he was 7 turning 8, but he could have completed addition flashcards orally quickly much earlier.

 

A child who is now doing multiple digit addition with regrouping should know the answers and have strong enough muscles in his hands and adequate fine motor control to write the answers to ten problems like 2+2 and 4+3 in one minute or less. If he cannot complete this task, he may need to work on developing the muscles and control in his hands or spend more time learning his math facts. The obvious exception would be a child who is very accelerated. I wouldn't expect a 3yo to write this quickly, but I would definitely expect it from a 6/7yo.

 

Also, as someone who has worked with young learners at Kumon for over 5 years,it is very uncommon for 5/6/7 yos to be unable to do basic addition this quickly. If it is taking longer, it is usually due to dawdling rather than lack of ability. If you sit beside the child and pen pace them, he will understand the pace he needs to set. Just put your pen point where the child needs to write the first answer. As soon as he begins to write, move the pen to where he needs to write the second answer. If you are doing timed drills, he should be well past understanding the concept and should just know the answer. So, if he stalls out or zones out, just give him the answer and keep going. If you are needing to give more than 5 answers out of 100, back off and work on the concept a little more before attempting speed drills. Drills should be fun. The kids I work with get a kick out of completing their work quickly. There is definitely a sense of accomplishment.

 

Mandy

[Dmmetler]

You might want to check online programs. My DD loves Mathletics, and a big part of that program is "live rounds", where you compete head to head for speed with whoever happens to be online at your level at that time (or against computer opponents, but DD likes seeing where the other kids are from and their avatars), and the program keeps up with her score, gives credits to spend on buying clothes for her avatar when she gets a "personal best time", and gives printable and on-screen certificates for completing X number of points. It's definitely improved her recall speed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I have the child take a few tests and work as fast and as accurately as they can while I time them. This gives a base line for how long they need. We then will do timed tests based on that time but with a goal of beating it. I found this to be better then just starting them out with a time the timed test says, my kids got too flustered. However by using the time the child created, they know they can do it in that time so no frustration, and trying to beat your own record is fun.

[lmrich]

I had read somewhere that 3 seconds meant they had memorized it. This was for using flash cards. I think 5 seconds for worksheets. Your goal is automaticity not counting by 5s for example.

[Stellalarella]

I had read somewhere that 3 seconds meant they had memorized it. This was for using flash cards. I think 5 seconds for worksheets. Your goal is automaticity not counting by 5s for example.

 

 

That is helpful.  Thank you.  

 

 

Also, as someone who has worked with young learners at Kumon for over 5 years,it is very uncommon for 5/6/7 yos to be unable to do basic addition this quickly. If it is taking longer, it is usually due to dawdling rather than lack of ability. If you sit beside the child and pen pace them, he will understand the pace he needs to set. Just put your pen point where the child needs to write the first answer. As soon as he begins to write, move the pen to where he needs to write the second answer. If you are doing timed drills, he should be well past understanding the concept and should just know the answer. So, if he stalls out or zones out, just give him the answer and keep going. If you are needing to give more than 5 answers out of 100, back off and work on the concept a little more before attempting speed drills. Drills should be fun. The kids I work with get a kick out of completing their work quickly. There is definitely a sense of accomplishment.

 

 

THis is helpful for me, too.  

 

That is not necessarily true if you have a kid who is a slow writer or who has difficulty writing. That would have been my son's problem for sure.

 

Not bashing though!

 

I have some kids who are slow at writing.  I"m with you on that.  :)

 

I also tried having them do xtramath.org, but in order to make that work, the kiddos really need to have good skills with a numerical keypad (we don't have an iPad).  

 

I do like the way xtramath.org sets up practice and how it has kids repeat the correct answer when they get it wrong the first time.  I like the plain, non-busy UI.  

[Salwa]

Mandy,

 

My son DAWDLES on Kumon. Today he did C136-140 and it took him 49 minutes. He did well - all As'. Kumon expects this to be done in 11 minutes. He is a slow writer and I am willing to give him some extra time but 49 is waaaaay too much.

 

Like you say if I sit next to him he is quicker. I want him to get independent and learn not to dawdle.

[Mandy in TN]

Mandy,

 

My son DAWDLES on Kumon. Today he did C136-140 and it took him 49 minutes. He did well - all As'. Kumon expects this to be done in 11 minutes. He is a slow writer and I am willing to give him some extra time but 49 is waaaaay too much.

 

Like you say if I sit next to him he is quicker. I want him to get independent and learn not to dawdle.

 

C136-140 has a standard completion time of 2-3 minutes per page, so he should be completing the five pages in 10-15 minutes. If he is consistently taking between 45-50 minutes, I would probably ask the instructor to please back up and review. Even with dawdling it shouldn't be taking him that long. OTOH- if you are sure he knows the material and is just able to drag it out that long with daydreaming, then will he work for MMs or chocolate chips? Work down from his best time. If you are certain that he can consistently finish a page in 5 minutes, then set an MM in front of him and tell him that he can have it if he finishes the page in 5 minutes or less. Maybe this approach will get him working more independently. Usually, though, if a child is completing a pack in a time frame that far over the SCT, then he needs to review the material.

 

HTH-

Mandy