Math facts?

[pink&bluemommy]

What are the best websites/games/methods for memorizing math facts? I can't get my 7 year old to memorize all his facts! We are almost done with math u see alpha but his facts aren't down cold and I don't want to move on till they are. He does xtra math for addition but it doesn't seem to be improving him quickly.

[Ravin]

It's better to let him move on than drill and kill any love for learning. He will continue to practice those facts as he moves into multiple digit addition/subtraction, etc. I would go ahead and move on to the next level, and just throw in practice drills.

[OneStepAtATime]

Math fact mastery can take quite a bit of time.  In fact, some math programs have built in math fact review all the way through 5th grade because it can take years to master these facts fluently.  Rote memorization for many is virtually impossible.  They need a REASON for those facts.  They need to see those facts in scenarios where there is purpose and meaning.  Have you tried doing real life math with him?  Like adding the cost of a few things at a grocery store?

 

As long as the student is getting the CONCEPTS, forcing them to not move forward until all math facts are mastered can have a negative effect.  The fun math, the more interesting math problems, may be where their strengths are and may help them to finally pull in those math facts in a meaningful way.  If they aren't allowed to get there, they may be stuck in math fact memorization purgatory and end up hating math.

 

Work separately on the math fact fluency.  Print out review sheets, play math fact games, maybe have your student work on Khan Academy or Prodigy math, apply addition and subtraction in real life scenarios.  But keep going with math concepts.  Keep moving forward at a successful pace for your child.  If they aren't getting the CONCEPTS, then stop for a bit and review.  Otherwise, you may be sitting at MUS Alpha for a very long time.

Edited July 28, 2016 by OneStepAtATime

[Lucy the Valiant]

We did xtramath.com while continuing on with Singapore for the concepts (I basically told them: you have to do this. You have to keep practicing until you know them cold. And when you do, you're done!)

 

Xtramath.com gives "progress reports" which my kids found motivating - and when a kid finished a 100% on an operation (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing), he got to drive to the grocery and pick out a carton of his favorite ice cream to share with the family THAT NIGHT (or the very next day). I did cheer and build up excitement for good scores as much as I could. Some of mine went faster than others, but they all got through eventually, and did know their facts cold prior to algebra. One last little guy coming up through the paces now. :)

[pink&bluemommy]

^{Thanks for the reassurances.  You would think by the third kid I would be able to chill out about it.  We will keep plugging along!  I am working on some kind of award to motivate good scores!}  

[letsplaymath]

I think I have about thirty math games on my blog now. Many of them deal with math facts.

[fralala]

My kids beg me to do Todo Math (app) and Sumdog (free and addictive). I limit screen time and try to incorporate math into our daily lives and games with each other, but these games have been excellent for improving their speed, math fact fluency, and enthusiasm for math.

 

I like the advice you've received already but would add re: concepts, what method does your son use for completing his addition/subtraction problems? Is it possible he could solve them speedier using a different method? (I've never used Math-U-See, but for instance, if he's counting backward or forward, could you instead go back and practice making tens a lot? Or, if he has his doubles memorized, could you work from there?)

[Bluegoat]

I think some kids just won't learn them.  My oldest daughter simply did not learn them, no matter how we practiced.  So we just moved on.

 

All of a sudden in grade 4 and especially 5, they started to stick, and she was doing all kinds of mental math that had previously been slow and unreliable.

 

So while practice is good, I would tend to carry on with other things at the same time.

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

Agree with PPs. Games like Sum Swamp & Go To the Dump could be fun ways to practice without drill. Go to the Dump is essentially Go Fish, but your cards have to add up to 10. To scaffold, you can start out doing this with an abacus reading both sides.

 

Ex: You have a 3. Enter 3 on the L side of the abacus. How many remain on the R? That's the number you need!