Maths Home Learning

Maths Home Learning

Welcome to the CWPS Maths Home Learning Page. Parents/Caregivers can find basic fact learning resources and websites to support your child at home. Students benefit from learning and revising their basic facts at home to support what they are learning in class. Understanding how numbers relate to one another and recalling the conceptual strategies support fact learning leads to improved success and confidence in Maths.

The Victorian Curriculum requires students to solve the addition and subtraction facts to 20, aiming for the end of Grade 2. In Grade 3, students revise addition and subtraction facts and recall multiplication facts of 2, 3, 5 and 10 and related division facts. By the end of Grade 4, students need to know all their multiplication and division facts to 100. Fact knowledge supports understanding of solving problems using all the 4 processes, fractions and ratios/ proportional learning in upper primary. Facts are only part of what it means to be a strong mathematician. (Boaler, 2015) Maths facts are very helpful however number sense is the foundation of all higher level mathematics. (Feikes & Schwingender, 2008)

Students firstly calculate basic facts mentally using a range of strategies. When students know their facts automatically it “frees up” their working memory or “reduces their cognitive load” to allow students to work with more complex problems. Students should learn the fact using an understanding strategy and ONLY after the facts are learnt is recall and accuracy refined. Recalling basic facts independently means without finger counting, head nodding, using concrete or visual supports to assist. These ideas are useful in the learning phase. When learning and recalling facts it is best to adjust approaches to suit the individual needs of the student.

The equations are presented both horizontally and vertically to ensure students are familiar with both representations. By learning FIRST the horizontal format this ensures students are using strategies mentally in computations instead of a written method. ONCE LEARNT students move to the vertical algorithm to support written recording.

Basic facts are taught in a recommended order from the easiest to more complex. We aim for students to achieve success with one strategy before moving onto the next. Students will be practising at school however they will also be using their class time to work on more complex problem solving. Multiple exposures and repetition support students learning facts, therefore practising at home greatly assists.

Complete addition to 20 first, then double and triple digit addition if challenges are needed. Begin with horizontal process and then extend to vertical process once learnt. Strategy flashcards may also support fact learning by printing and cutting into individual cards. You may sort the cards into strategies and then work on learning each one. Sorting into known and unknown facts within each strategy may help the process. Work on one strategy at a time. Only once learnt would you develop speed and accuracy. Thinking about numbers and their relations to use and develop number sense increases Maths understanding. (Boaler, 2009) This is why at CWPS, we focus on strategies and conceptual understanding. By students learning multiplication strategies it decreases errors and develops a positive disposition rather than if only using memorisation.

Please see your child’s teacher if you have any questions.

ADDITION/ SUBTRACTION FACTS SUGGESTED ORDER

Add/ Subtract Counting on 1,2,3 and 0

Adding/ Subtracting 10s facts (e.g. 4+6=10 etc.)

Adding/ Subtracting 10 (Using Place Value Knowledge)

Adding/ Subtracting Doubles (e.g. 4+4=8 etc.)

Adding/ Subtracting Near Doubles or Doubles +1 (e.g. 4+5=9 etc.)

Bridging to/ Back to 10 (e.g. 8+5=? Think 8+2=10+3=13 etc.)

MULTPLICATION FACTS

The Victorian Curriculum states in level 3 students are to learn and recall multiplication and related division facts for the 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s. In level 4 students are to recall multiplication facts up to 10 X 10 and related division facts.

Multiplication facts also have a recommended order. Learn Multiplication facts using the strategies suggested. This is why times tables are written 3X1, 3X2, 3X3, etc. The thinking for this strategy is 3 of anything is “double and 1 more lot.” It encourages multiplicative thinking instead of an additive approach involving adding on another lot each time. Learning 12 x12 facts is not necessary as strategies can be used to solve these. Only after knowing the facts to 100 would this be seen as an extending idea.

For division encourage the students to make links to known multiplication facts, thinking 6 “somethings?” are 42, if 6 X 7 = 42, so in reverse 42 ÷ 6 = 7. Students can use the fact families to support them. There are many online worksheet makers, apps and websites to support you but check they follow the above guidelines. Please see your child’s teacher if you have any questions.

Maths Home Learning

Translator