What About Those Math Facts! Using a Strategy-Based Approach

GDS APPROACH Children learn and retain math concepts, procedures, and facts best when they are led to understand what they are doing before any memory of facts or procedures is expected.

STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING BASIC FACTS--ADDITION Doubles 6+6, 4+4….. One More Than Doubles +1 10 Sum +1 Easy 9’s One less than +10 Make 10, add extras Ones digit is one less Last 4 Facts 7+5, 8+4, 8+5, 8+6 Count Ons +1, +2, +3 Turnarounds 2+9 is the same as 9+2, then use the count-on strategy Zero Facts 7+0, 0+7 10 Sums 6+4, 7+3….

ADDITION TABLE + 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Easier Facts Medium Facts Hard Facts

STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING BASIC FACTS--SUBTRACTION Count Backs -1, -2, -3 Subtraction Doubles 8-4, 6-3 Zero Facts 6-0, 6-6 10 Facts Uses “10 sums” and the 10-frame One More Than 10-8=2, so 11-8=3 9 Facts If 13-10=3, then 13-9=4 Last 4 Facts 12-7, 12-8, 13-8, 14-8

This requires practice!! BASIC FACTS MASTERY The overriding goal is to raise the level of response until correct answers are given quickly (within 2 seconds) and consistently over time. This requires practice!!

HOW YOU CAN HELP Keep sessions short (3 to 5 minutes) Introduce only a few facts at a time, include some mastered facts Call out facts at odd moments – like in the car “Less is best, more often” Five minutes a day is better than thirty minutes once a week Set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes for your child to review flash cards on his own Keep sessions positive; praise quality effort Use a “Facts I Know” cross-out chart

“FACTS I KNOW” CROSS-OUT CHART +0 +1 +2 +3 +4 0 + 0 = 0 1 + 0 = 1 0 + 1 = 1 1 + 1 = 2 0 + 2 = 2 1 + 2 = 3 0 + 3 = 3 1 + 3 = 4 0 + 4 = 4 1 + 4 = 5 2 + 0 = 2 3 + 0 = 3 2 + 1 = 3 3 + 1 = 4 2 + 2 = 4 3 + 2 = 5 2 + 3 = 5 3 + 3 = 6 2 + 4 = 6 3 + 4 = 7 4 + 0 = 4 5 + 0 = 5 4 + 1 = 5 5 + 1 = 6 4 + 2 = 6 5 + 2 = 7 4 + 3 = 7 5 + 3 = 8 4 + 4 = 8 5 + 4 = 9 6 + 0 = 6 7 + 0 = 7 6 + 1 = 7 7 + 1 = 8 6 + 2 = 8 7 + 2 = 9 6 + 3 = 9 7 + 3 = 10 6 + 4 = 10 7 + 4 = 11 8 + 0 = 8 9 + 0 = 9 8 + 1 = 9 9 + 1 = 10 8 + 2 = 10 9 + 2 = 11 8 + 3 = 11 9 + 3 = 12 8 + 4 = 12 9 + 4 = 13