• Category: addition and subtraction, addition and subtraction facts, learning addition, learning math facts, math facts, math facts fluency, math facts mastery, memorize, multiplication, multiplication facts, strategies, Strategies to teach addition facts, Teaching math facts, timed math fact tests, understanding what math facts mean
• Published Dated: August 27, 2014
• Written by: Susan

This was posted many years ago on my Tips page, and I thought it might be a good idea to post it again on this Blog page.

Math facts tested in a minute – What are these timed tests really testing? Adults often assign children tasks filled with rows of addition, subtraction or multiplication facts. Sometimes the children are given a set amount of minutes in which to complete these pages, and are not allowed to advance to the next level until they accurately answer these facts in a specific amount of time.

I do not advocate timed tests before children have memorized answers or have a strategy to use to answer the facts. I have watched many children take timed tests. There are students who may know the answers automatically, but tend to write slower or are slower by nature to respond. Some children could also be concerned about neatness; they use time to carefully erase incorrectly formed numerals, and then rewrite answers perfectly. In addition, some children stop to fix their hair when long bangs or hair get in the way of seeing the page. With this first group, the ability to write fast or stay on task, not math fact knowledge, is tested. Allow another way to test proficiency for these students, who may in fact know the answers without counting, but just cannot seem to complete the page quick enough.

A second group tested for speed includes children counting with fingers or other counters, or using number lines or charts to get the answers. These children do not know many of the answers, and they are not learning to memorize the facts by taking the timed test. Giving them the same test over and over is not going to help them learn answers. For this group, the test measures how quickly and accurately the students count to get answers. I observed children in this group get through the first row of facts quickly because they have memorized the sequence of answers. Others, if given the same math fact problem more than once on a page, use a strategy to search for the answer that is somewhere else on the page. These children ought not to be taking timed tests until we teach them a way to remember the answers. Just given random written practice, many students will not learn math facts.

Timed or not timed, the exercise is frustrating and useless when children do not know answers on the page. Once they understand what the math facts mean, teach them to remember and memorize the math facts. Instruction and understanding first, then strategies to memorize. See what a difference this makes in your student’s attitude, confidence and ability to complete the task!