Educators generally agree that it is very important that children master the basic number combinations. In fact, the National Research Council (NRC) concluded that attaining computational fluency is an essential aspect of mathematical proficiency.
Children typically progress through four stages when mastering these basic number combinations.
Stage 1
Elena, a Kindergartener, determines the sum of 6+5 by getting out 6 cubes and then adding 5 more and counting the total.
Stage 2
Kevin, a first grader, determines the sum of 6+5 by saying “six” and then extends five fingers (one at a time), and counts “Seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven”.
Stage 3
Theresa, a second grader, tackles 6+5 by mentally reasoning that if 5+5 is 10, and 6 is 1 more than 5, then 6+5 must be 1 more than 10, or 11.
Stage 4
Sam, a third grader, immediately and reliably answers, “Six plus five is eleven”.
How do we, as teachers and parents, best get our children to stage 4 – mastery (efficient, fast, and accurate production of answers)?
Too often it is thought that memorizing basic facts by rote through extensive, time-tested drill and practice is the most efficient way to help children achieve mastery. This approach makes learning the basic number combinations unduly difficult and anxiety-provoking and undermines interest in mathematics and confidence in mathematical ability. Many children give up on learning all the basic combinations. They may appear inattentive or unmotivated or otherwise fail to learn the combinations.
I believe that one of the best ways to get this kind of practice on the road to mastery is with the use of math games.
I’ve been teaching math to children for many years, and I’ve found that math games are, from a teacher’s point of view, wonderfully useful. Math games put children in exactly the right frame of mind for learning. Children are normally very eager to play games. They relax when they play, and they concentrate. They don’t mind repeating certain facts or procedures over and over.
Children throw themselves into playing games the way they never throw themselves into filling out workbook pages or dittos. And games can, if you select the right ones, help children learn those basic number combinations. Good, child-centered games are designed to take the boredom and frustration out of the repetitive practice necessary for children to master these important math skills and concepts.
Playing math games is even more beneficial than spending the same amount of time drilling basic facts using flash cards. Not only are games a lot more fun, but the potential for learning and reasoning about mathematics is much greater, as well.
The following is a simple game, but one of my favorites, for mastering the basic number combinations:
Turn Over 5
What you need:
2 players
cards 0 – 5, 4 of each
The object of this Concentration-type game is to capture pairs of cards that add up to 5.
Mix up the cards and lay them face down in four rows of six. Players take turns by choosing two cards to turn over, trying to find a combination that adds up to 5. If they find one, they keep (capture) that pair. If they do not, they turn the two cards back over for the next player. When all matches have been made, the player with the most cards wins the game.
Variation: This game can be made more challenging by using higher cards and a different sum, such as 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 15, etc.
