Basic Facts Knowledge

A Staff Tutorial

This tutorial will:

1. Define basic fact knowledge and outline why it is important

2. Introduce a teaching, learning and assessment model for basic facts

3. Help you consider how your current practices are aligned with the model

4. Introduce a resource based on the model

Basic fact knowledge is:

the ability to have fast and fluent recall of key:

• addition/subtraction facts

• multiplication/division facts

• proportional relationships

Basic facts knowledge is important because it:

• Aids estimation and mental calculation

• Develops conceptual understanding

• Strengthens connections within and between strategies

• Is key to working confidently at “Number Properties”

Which facts are important?Basic Fact Knowledge ProgressionBook 1 Number Framework (MoE 2005)

Introducing the basic facts teaching, learning and assessment model…

Point A: Fact Selection

At the centre of this model are sets of basic facts that every child should learn.

The teacher selects sets of basic facts appropriate for each student to learn based on diagnostic information about their learning needs.

Point B: Strategy Teaching

The set of facts is then taught through the exploration of strategies used to solve the equations. This strategy teaching would follow the same sequence as numeracy sessions:

 materials –> imaging –> number properties

Example: The doubles +/- 1 may be introduced following successful practice and recall of the doubles facts set:

8 + 7 as a double (7 + 7) + 1

Point C: Practice

Once students demonstrate proficiency with the strategy, recall of the set of facts is developed through games and other creative drills that encourage accuracy and speed.

Students practice sets of facts that can be solved by a similar strategy, giving them the opportunity to match strategies to facts to assist in the development of recall.

At the point of recall, students can retrieve the answer to a fact equation quickly and efficiently.

Point D: Knowledge

Students have fast and fluent recall of the set of facts and their knowledge becomes a tool to help them solve number problems.

This may also become the first step in selecting a new set of facts to take through the teaching cycle, as a new number pattern or relationship emerges from what is known.

How do you currently teach basic facts?

List what you currently do to help students learn basic facts.

– Drills– Flashcards– Chanting – Games– Timed tests– Quick ten– Others?

Fit each of your current practices within the teaching model by completing the chart:

Fact SelectionHow do you select appropriate facts for each student to learn?

Strategy TeachingHow do you develop student understanding of basic facts?

PracticeHow do get students to learn the basic facts once they understand them?

KnowledgeHow do you get students to use the basic facts they know?

How do your current practices fit with this model?

The Resource

The basic facts resource providesA: Sets of related basic factsB: Teaching Activities for each fact setC: Practice Activities for each fact set

Sample page

Assessment has different purposes at each stage of the model:

Point A: Fact SelectionAssessment provides information about the most appropriate set of facts for each student to learn.

Point B: Strategy TeachingFormative assessment during strategy teaching sessions provides information about how well students are using existing known facts and an understanding of number operations to learn new facts. Teaching is modified accordingly.

Point C: PracticeThe teacher monitors whether the set of facts is approaching recall. An efficient way to do this is through the use of do know / don’t know cards (next slide).

Point D: KnowledgeAssessment provides information on how students are able to use the basic facts they know to solve problems. Analysis of errors can often indicate the type of practice required or may even indicate need for further teaching to repair misconceptions that have developed.

Do know / Don’t know cardsA way to encourage and monitor the development of recall.

One easy way to keep track of which facts are known is to have a set of cards with all of the relevant basic facts for each student, with one fact per card.

These can then be separated into 2 piles: those that can be recalled instantly and those that can’t.

Each day students are given a card to learn from the don’t know pile. Once it is known reliably, the card moves into the do know pile.

In conclusion, an effective basic facts programme will involve…

Selecting appropriate sets of related facts for each student to learn.

Using strategy teaching to ensure students understand facts and the relationships between facts.

Ensuring students develop recall of facts through practice.

Giving students opportunities to use the basic facts they know to solve problems.