Practice Automation

During maths lessons at primary school, it is very important that children learn and gain a good command of basic sums. This is not only about being able to work out correct answers to sums, but it is also about being able to give these answers at a good pace. One of the most common reasons why children get stuck when working on maths questions during the higher grades of primary school is an inability to concentrate and pay attention to the topic of automation for a sufficient amount of time.

When practising exercises at speed, a number of components appear to be of great importance:

• Strategy
• Motivation
• Repetition

Strategy

When it comes to multiplication tables, one common strategy is using a reverse timetable, a unique type of multiplication table where the products are provided, but the numbers along the sides are missing. Students must use their deduction skills to determine the missing numbers. This exercise also enhances factoring abilities for students.

Teachers, tutors and those helping children and students with their times tables must take note of which strategies students choose to apply, and the ones they choose not to apply, so that they can understand which areas of maths and processes that they need the most help with.

Motivation

Achieving the desired level of ability can take some practice. Students feeling motivated often plays a crucial role in their success. Reminding children of time constraints can be counterproductive, especially for those who are afraid to get the answers to maths questions wrong, and do not always respond well to being put on a time limit.

On practisemaths.co.uk, exercises are designed with automation in mind, and children’s motivation is a key focus. Children are encouraged to complete tasks within a certain time, but only when they are ready, providing them with achievable goals. During practice, time is not displayed as a clock or time bar. Additionally, the website offers games to further motivate children to practise.

Repetition

Of course, it’s great if students succeed in what they have practised. After extensive length of time spent practising, children can usually complete all the tables within 4 seconds per sum.

However, if students keep stopping and starting practice, it is common for them to experience loss of progress and proficiency, and for them to not reach their desired level within a few months. It is therefore advisable to regularly practise different types of tasks, even the ones that students think they have already mastered.

The author

Frank de Witte

Frank de Witte has extensive experience as a primary school teacher. During his master's studies and in his role as a math coordinator, he specialized in mathematics education. He owns several Dutch websites featuring practice materials, where hundreds of thousands of children in the Netherlands practice math, language, and spelling every day.

https://practisemaths.co.uk/