FACT FLUENCY: HOW CAN I
HELP?
Grade 2 Title I Math Families
December 1, 2010
WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?
“Ability to recall basic math facts fluently is
necessary for students to attain higher-order
math skills.”
 “Rapid math-fact retrieval has been shown to be
a strong predictor of performance on
mathematics achievement tests.”
 “Studies have found that lack of math fact
retrieval can impede participation in math class
discussions, successful mathematics problemsolving, and even the development of everyday
life skills.”

http://www.scholastic.com/administrator/math/mathfluency.htm
WHAT IS TOOLS FOR SUCCESS?
TFS is an oral fact fluency program used for all
four operations: addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division.
 Students take a placement test to place them in a
level: A to Z.
 Students take timed oral fact fluency tests and
must answer 28 facts correctly in one minute.
 Media Elementary School’s goal is for each
student to progress through at least one
operation.

WHAT DOES TFS LOOK LIKE IN SCHOOL?
Students test into an operation and a level.
 Students try to “check-out” of a level at least a few
times per week.
 Students engage is strategy lessons based on their
current levels.
 Students write their facts daily in a fact fluency
notebook.
 Students engage in timed fact practice at least a
couple times per week.
 Students bring home a Note from School to share their
progress with the program.

WHAT DOES TFS LOOK LIKE OUT OF
SCHOOL?
Adult family member reads the Notes from
School to check your child’s progress.
 Adult and child set up a routine for fact practice.
 Adult sets a timer to time your child on the top
half of the book (worksheet) for 1 minute and 30
seconds.
 Adult sets a timer to time your child on the
bottom half of the book (test) for 1 minute.

AT-HOME FACT FLUENCY NOTEBOOK
Divide one page into four parts.
 Write one fact repeatedly in each section.
 Each page should have four facts.

AT-HOME FLASH CARD CREATIONS
Write each fact on five different cards.
 Write a total of 20 cards (4 facts, 5 times each).
 Review the cards daily and add them to the ring
once your child passes a level or use another
similar idea that works for you.

FLASH CARDS FOR TFS ONLINE

Visit Miss Seeley’s webpage
http://www.rtmsd.org
 Click Media on the pull-down menu
 Click Staff
 Click Ms. Seeley

Click Tools for Success on the left side.
 Click your child’s current level for practice.
 View the slide show using Power Point.

OTHER WEBSITES FOR FACT FLUENCY
PRACTICE

Visit Mrs. Walker’s webpage
http://www.rtmsd.org
 Click Media on the pull-down menu
 Click Staff
 Click Mrs. Walker

Click Links for Learning on the left side.
 Click on one of the math links.
