Simple Practices to Bridge Fact Fluency and Long-Term Memory

Teachers across the U.S. are asked to have students memorize multiplication facts and sometimes addition and subtraction facts, to build fact fluency, usually because curriculum standards have specified that students should be ‘fluent with numbers’. Here we explore simple practices to bridge fact fluency and long-term memory.

The meaning of fluent with numbers is knowing how a number can be composed and decomposed (Fosnot and Dolk 2001). More deeply, the root of being fluent with numbers is understanding how numbers can be composed and decomposed, allowing the mathematician to think flexibly and efficiently when solving problems (Parish 2014).

With the pressure to collect data and show math progress, we see a trade-off of lessons to build number fluency with memorization of math facts through timed testing. This trade-off, or change of focus, effectively steals time from more meaningful math endeavors necessary to create the pathways to think flexibly and efficiently when solving math problems. Rather than solely focusing on memorization and timed tests, embed meaningful daily practices for fact fluency.

If the end goal is for students to efficiently retrieve accurate math information safely stored in long-term memory, we have to provide pathways to authentically build, connect, and solidify number values and relationships.

Simple Instructional Practices to Bridge Pathways of Number Fluency

Here are four prompts of varying math grade levels that encourage students to actively think about composing and decomposing numbers to problem-solve.

As students sit and think about how to answer these prompts, they retrieve and connect prior math understanding to new information. As students listen to peers share, they continue to connect information to their math understanding, ultimately deciding if this new information strengthens understanding or forces them to adapt and change their way of thinking.

This is a genuine practice of problem-solving in a collaborative math community.

Math Learning, Whole Body Engagement, and Long Term Memory

Brain research indicates new learning activates multiple brain regions: the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and temporal lobes. The neural connections work together to encode the new information into memory. However, within a short time the brain naturally dismisses unused neural connections, dropping the ability to recall information. To prevent this decline, reviewing information often, and over time reactivates neural pathways, preventing forgetting (ScienceDirect, n.d.).

Whole body engagement during key moments of learning helps strengthen even initial pathways, allowing them to be recalled more easily. Whether in direct instruction, teacher-led learning, or student groups, we can embed these practices for deep math understanding.

Use this easy-to-remember formula for success: Touch, Talk, Transfer.

In math learning situations, we want students to conceptualize, discuss, and internalize information. This is something we cultivate as we strategically create math block routines.

Resources for Boosting Number Sense Fluency and Long-Term Math Memory

These resources created by action research and research supporting effective math instruction, make it easy to implement the right routines and procedures. Likewise, the vertical alignment and consistency of the routine creates autonomous mathematicians.

Daily Number Fluency Counting and Skip Counting Slides

The brain research tells us we need to revisit learning often and engage multiple brain areas to commit learning to long-term memory. Daily Number Fluency Slides provide 180 unique counting prompts with body movements for each grade level.

• Kindergarten Number Fluency
• First grade Number Fluency
• Second Grade Number Fluency
• Third Grade Math Maps and Skip Counting Multiples
• Fourth Grade Math Maps and Skip Counting Multiples
• Fifth Grade Math Maps and Skip Counting Multiples

Math Warm-Ups for Important Math Discussions

Research shows that thoughtful discussions in math promote problem-solving skills and a deeper understanding of concepts. When students share their reasoning, they build stronger connections between ideas and develop confidence in their thinking.

• Kindergarten Math Warm-Ups
• First Grade Math Warm-Ups
• Second Grade Math Warm-Ups
• Third Grade Math Warm-Ups
• Fourth Grade Math Warm-Ups
• Fifth Grade Math Warm-Ups

Boost Student Engagement with Digital Teaching Slides

One of the greatest benefits of these interactive math slides is their ability to keep students engaged. Students remain active participants in the math learning. Specifically, each math lesson has between 6 to 12 teaching slides. The slides feature moveable objects, areas to type numbers, fun themes, and clipart while incorporating the math strategies being taught in the lesson. For a closer look at teaching slides, visit this post.

• Kindergarten Teaching Slides
• First grade Teaching Slides
• Second Grade Teaching Slides
• Third Grade Teaching Slides

Total Math Curriculum for Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade

If you teach grades K-2, our all-in-one math curriculum can supplement or provide a full research-based math block. This post provides the scope and standards, research, and curriculum development information.

• Kindergarten Total Math
• First grade Total Math
• Second Grade Total Math

Guided Math Curriculum for Third Grade, Fourth Grade, and Fifth Grade

We conduct math mini-lessons in a whole-group format and follow that up with students meeting in small groups where they directly apply the math learning in a developmentally appropriate way, targeting specific needs. This approach places students as the center of the learning as active participants.

• Third Grade Guided Math
• Fourth Grade Guided Math
• Fifth Grade Guided Math

Daily Math Fact Fluency Practice for Long Term Memory

For more ideas on targeted math fact fluency practice visit this post.