Memorizing addition/subtraction facts

[Stages]

My six year old (starting First soon-ish) is nearly done with Math Mammoth 1-A, and I'm trying to decide if we should move on to 1-B or practice addition and subtraction drills first.

 

Oftentimes she has to use her fingers to get to the answer (though she can model problems with manipulatives or solve using a number line). She does have some immediately, like 4+4 and all the +/- 1s, but she doesn't know much else by heart. I'm leaning towards thinking that's still developmentally appropriate, but I'm wondering if not having the facts immediately there will hinder her.

 

Do you think we should continue with MM 1-B and wait for memorization, work on both at the same time, or focus solely on memorization until she has it? Or something else entirely?

 

Thanks!

[Joyful Journeys]

I was just speaking with a friend about this the other day and am interested in responses as well. We are using Singapore and rather than going ahead with 1b we've been doing the 1a intensive practice over summer and mental math as she's in the same boat. I have seen great improvement, so I'm leaning toward going forward and just reviewing as she clearly understands the concepts.

[Coco_Clark]

I do a little of both.  They need to have their facts that add up to 10 automatic in order to be successful at "regrouping" (or "carrying" if you prefer).  So that is an absolute requirement for my kiddos.  I also like them to be pretty automatic at +1, -1.

 

Outside of that I just move forward while continuing to work on facts.  

 

I have one going into Singapore 2a next year that this worked really well on.  He's now solid across the board.  I have another near the middle of Miquon Red, and still working on facts while moving forward.  

[Stages]

I do a little of both.  They need to have their facts that add up to 10 automatic in order to be successful at "regrouping" (or "carrying" if you prefer).  So that is an absolute requirement for my kiddos.  I also like them to be pretty automatic at +1, -1, and doubles are nice as well.

 

Outside of that I just move forward while continuing to work on facts.  

 

That makes sense. She's pretty good with most doubles and decent with making 10 already. 

[Rachel]

I ran into a similar situation with my son. We use SM but I skipped ahead to the other sections and had him keep reviewing facts though games and xtramath. It helped a lot.

[Korrale]

I read somewhere that addition and subtraction fact mastery isn't expected until the end of second grade. So I am rolling with that.

We continue to work on facts, but keep doing other stuff.

[kiana]

I prefer moving forward conceptually while continuing to drill facts.

[reign]

I say keep moving! My oldest did have to spend some time working on extra practice to memorize her additions up to ten. Middle kid had everything memorized by the end of 1B with no extra practice. Wait and see what your daughter needs.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Keep moving.  They will continue to practice with drills & memorization at the start of MM2, and will continue to practice the skills even as they move into multi-digit addition and subtraction.  It's not like this is the last time they will see 8+5!

[boscopup]

Keep moving, but do work on memorization. I spent about 5 minutes per day working facts with my first grader last year. It was built into his curriculum (CLE), but it was easy to do - he had a 2 minute drill and a portion of flash cards to work on each day. The CLE flash cards are awesome - they are lettered, so you work on A and G one day, then A and H the next, then A and I the next, then A and J the next, then maybe circle around to B and G, etc. So they're only doing a small amount each day, but they're getting enough repetition to memorize them.

 

Toward the end of the year, I dropped the flash cards, but kept the 2 minute speed drill. He no longer needed the flash cards for addition/subtraction.