Developing Basic Fact Fluency Doesn’t Just Happen

Written by Rebecca Forchuk, Principal

Workshop: “Guided Math Instruction & Running Records” with Dr. Nicki Newton                  

I often hear teachers who are frustrated when students don’t know basic facts or have difficulty recalling them effectively.  There are no shortages of negative implications when students do not have basic fact fluency.  It can:

·         limit student’s mindset in math.

·         increase math anxiety.

·         hinder their ability to understand higher level concepts because so much of a student’s cognitive load is spent on figuring out simple facts. 

How do we know where students are struggling with their basic facts?  Where are they in the learning progressions?  It is almost impossible to provide individualized, targeted interventions if we do not assess where student understanding is breaking down.  If you were told that, in 10-12 minutes, you could find out exactly where a student’s barrier is to becoming fluent in basic facts, would you try it?

If so, the answer is in Math Running Records.  There are four different running records designed: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

The purpose of running records are to:

• Uncover specific strategy levels students are at
• Get behind student thinking, not just speed, accuracy, flexibility and efficiency
• Inform planning, guide instruction, whole group learning, small group learning, and stations/centers
•  Monitor student progress

There are 4 core parts to running records:

1. Overview and introduction of the process with the student
2. Part 1 – Assessing for Automaticity (Instant recall and accuracy)
3. Part 2 – Flexibility and Efficiency (students look at a specific problems and use place value, properties and the relationship between operations to solve problems (Newton, 25)
4. Part 3 – Mathematical Dispositions (feelings about themselves as a mathematician)

In order to provide targeted interventions for basic facts, it is important to know where students are in the learning progression.  Dr. Newton’s process for running records is research-based, clear and follows a step-by-step process (watch here).  Students’ responses give very specific insights about what strategies are used and what next steps are.  Dr. Newton’s book (Figure 1.1) lays out the process very clearly and all of the necessary resources are found on her website. 

We don’t expect you to figure it out on your own!  People who can support running records in your class are:

Shelly Read, Numeracy Curriculum & Instruction Facilitator;

Darla Milford, Instructional Coach at Big Rock, Spitzee, Joe Clark;

Julie Julian, Instructional Coach at Millarville, McLaren, Turner Valley, Pegler;

Lindsay Brooks, Instructional Coach at RDL, Westmount;

Rebecca Forchuk, Principal

Consider using math running records to provide you with data to inform next steps and monitor progress.  Connect with us to show you how! 

Follow the blog over next four Wednesdays when we post another component for developing understanding, fluency and efficiency of basic facts.  Topics will include guided math, fluency, problem solving and math thinking routines.

Be sure to follow Dr. Nicki Newton’s blog for practical ideas on developing number sense!