How to Take a Comprehensive Approach to Math Fluency
In this guest post for Branching Minds, we make the case for updating your approach to math fluency to maximize student growth and confidence.
The past 15 years have been revolutionary in our understanding of student learning, especially in mathematics. As new studies emerge on the impact of fluency on student performance and researchers identify more impactful ways to support and sustain learning, it’s critical that we refresh our understanding of math fluency and adapt our methods for teaching math to maximize student success.
Math Fluency vs. Math Fact Fluency
The definition of fluency has shifted significantly in recent years, but for many, “math fluency” is still used interchangeably with “math fact fluency.” The reality, however, is that the latter is only one piece of true math fluency.
Math fact fluency is essentially automaticity, or the ability to quickly recall from memory the answers to common “math facts,” such as 2+2 or 5x7. While there is certainly a place for automaticity in student learning, an over-emphasis on this piece of math fluency can cause educators to rely too heavily on rote memorization and ultimately lead to math anxiety.
Math fluency, on the other hand, is a much broader range of skills – including both fact fluency and procedural fluency – and acts as the underlying foundation for students’ long-term success in mathematics. While automaticity is one of its components, math fluency also aims to help students flexibly apply their learnings and make connections between different mathematical concepts.
This type of learning not only propels students toward success in more advanced mathematical subjects, but also builds their confidence and contributes to a positive attitude toward the subject.
How To Leverage a Comprehensive Approach To Build Math Fluency
A comprehensive approach is about considering all facets of math fluency to build the strongest possible foundation for students to thrive in mathematics. It’s about adopting a strategic and research-based process to address the unique needs of each student and allow each to progress, no matter their starting point.
