Part 2
Computations and Basic Facts to 20
Computations and Basic Facts to 20
WATCH: Building Blocks towards Computational Fluency
WATCH: Building Blocks towards Computational Fluency
2.04_Trajectory (#66).movTASK
TASK
How would you define computational fluency? What resonated with you from Craig's description? What would you add or adjust?
How would you define computational fluency? What resonated with you from Craig's description? What would you add or adjust?
Discuss as a team your thoughts the building block image shared in the video and how you might have seen this unfold in your own experience with children. Record your thinking in a digital handout.
Discuss as a team your thoughts the building block image shared in the video and how you might have seen this unfold in your own experience with children. Record your thinking in a digital handout.
To view thinking of past participants click here.
To view thinking of past participants click here.
Want to Go Deeper?
Want to Go Deeper?
Check out the archived four-part series, Building Number Sense in the Early Years.
Check out the archived four-part series, Building Number Sense in the Early Years.
You might also want to download a set of Dot Cards to explore. What do you notice about the way quanities are represented? Talk about how children might play popular card games with these cards (e.g., War, Go Fish). What advantages could you see from this? What makes Dot Cards (and Dot Plates, 10-Frames, etc.) such powerful tools for helping students advance in their development of computational fluency?
You might also want to download a set of Dot Cards to explore. What do you notice about the way quanities are represented? Talk about how children might play popular card games with these cards (e.g., War, Go Fish). What advantages could you see from this? What makes Dot Cards (and Dot Plates, 10-Frames, etc.) such powerful tools for helping students advance in their development of computational fluency?
WATCH: The Path to Automaticity with Basic Facts
WATCH: The Path to Automaticity with Basic Facts
2.05_Basic Facts (#58).movTASK
TASK
Consider the following developmental flow of efficiency with basic facts.
Consider the following developmental flow of efficiency with basic facts.
Discuss:
Discuss:
- Where in your own teaching practice, seen this "flow" in action? What challenges have emerged for you as you've moved from one stage to the next? What strategies, games or tasks have you used to develop basic facts to 20?
- Where in your own teaching practice, seen this "flow" in action? What challenges have emerged for you as you've moved from one stage to the next? What strategies, games or tasks have you used to develop basic facts to 20?
- Read the excellent section in A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics K-6, Vol 5: Teaching Basic Facts and Multidigit Computations, pages 17-20) where it provides strong advice around such topics as: worksheets, flash cards, timed tests and models to build understanding.
- Read the excellent section in A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics K-6, Vol 5: Teaching Basic Facts and Multidigit Computations, pages 17-20) where it provides strong advice around such topics as: worksheets, flash cards, timed tests and models to build understanding.
- In what ways might this advice differ from the way basic facts were practised when you were a young student? What do you see as some of the advantages of rethinking the way we help students acquire automaticity with basic facts?
- In what ways might this advice differ from the way basic facts were practised when you were a young student? What do you see as some of the advantages of rethinking the way we help students acquire automaticity with basic facts?
Want to Go Deeper?
Want to Go Deeper?
To learn more about the Mathematical Territory Between Direct Modelling and Proficiency, read this monograph by Dr. Alex Lawson (Lakehead University).
To learn more about the Mathematical Territory Between Direct Modelling and Proficiency, read this monograph by Dr. Alex Lawson (Lakehead University).
WATCH: Strategies to Practise Basic Facts
WATCH: Strategies to Practise Basic Facts
2.06_Role of Practice (#53).movTASK
TASK
Students need to have quick recall -- automaticity -- with their basic facts. And this means that they will need time to consolidate their strategies through practice.
Students need to have quick recall -- automaticity -- with their basic facts. And this means that they will need time to consolidate their strategies through practice.
A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics: K-6, Vol 5: Teaching Basic Facts and Multidigit Computations (pages 69-112) includes a number of strategy-based games and activities to build both understanding and fluency.
A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics: K-6, Vol 5: Teaching Basic Facts and Multidigit Computations (pages 69-112) includes a number of strategy-based games and activities to build both understanding and fluency.
Browse through these pages and notice games and activities that you find promising. Also talk about any other ideas you've used to develop fluency with basic facts. Record your recommendations in this digital handout.
Browse through these pages and notice games and activities that you find promising. Also talk about any other ideas you've used to develop fluency with basic facts. Record your recommendations in this digital handout.
To view the recommendations of past participants click here.
To view the recommendations of past participants click here.
If you have access to a printer -- and have time -- you may want to print out the instructions for one game and its related materials and give it a try.
If you have access to a printer -- and have time -- you may want to print out the instructions for one game and its related materials and give it a try.
TASK
TASK
The Role of the Calculator
The Role of the Calculator
The use of calculators can be a very contentious topic for many parents -- and educators! -- even though the use of calculators is encouraged throughout the Ontario Curriculum.
The use of calculators can be a very contentious topic for many parents -- and educators! -- even though the use of calculators is encouraged throughout the Ontario Curriculum.
Read and discuss this excerpt from the Ontario Mathematics Curriculum: Grades 1-8 that describes the role of calculators in classrooms.
Read and discuss this excerpt from the Ontario Mathematics Curriculum: Grades 1-8 that describes the role of calculators in classrooms.
Discuss
Discuss
- What are your thoughts on the use of calculators in the classroom? In what situations and for what learning goals could you see calculators being an important tool for promoting learning? What might you not have students use a calculator?
- What are your thoughts on the use of calculators in the classroom? In what situations and for what learning goals could you see calculators being an important tool for promoting learning? What might you not have students use a calculator?
- How might distinguishing between operation sense and computations add a helpful nuance to conversations on this topic?
- How might distinguishing between operation sense and computations add a helpful nuance to conversations on this topic?
Share
Share
How would you respond to a parent of colleague who had concerns about the use of calculators in math classrooms? Consider specific examples of tasks that would clarify your position and illustrate your point.
How would you respond to a parent of colleague who had concerns about the use of calculators in math classrooms? Consider specific examples of tasks that would clarify your position and illustrate your point.
Record your thinking in this digital handout.
Record your thinking in this digital handout.
To view the thinking of past participants click here.
To view the thinking of past participants click here.
