Helping Students to Automatize Multiplication Facts: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Attaining automaticity with multiplication facts during the elementary school years provides students with a strong foundation for understand-ing the interrelationship of rational numbers and strengthening mathematics computation throughout schooling. Automaticity also supports the development of number sense and ongoing mathematics learning due to expansion of students’ mathematics self-concept. This study explores the efficacy and feasibility of an intervention approach to facts acquisition for Grade 3 students in the northeastern U.S. Students in seven classrooms across two diverse suburban community schools participated in a ten-week supplementary intervention program designed to improve motivation for facts memorization and increase facts automaticity. An assessment of facts acquisition and retention was adminis-tered to participants the following September upon entering Grade 4. Analysis shows significant growth in facts acquisition and retention across study groups when compared to 4th grade students’ facts retention in the study schools during September of the previous year.

Keywords

• Elementary school students
• mathematics
• multiplication facts
• automaticity