Mental Computation
Automaticity
Problem Solving
Definitions
Mental Computation is the understanding and use Automaticity is instant recall.
of effective mathematical strategies and concepts
in your head.
Problem Solving:
 Recognise the problem
 Identify the strategy and or operation to use
 Apply the identified strategy/operation
identified
 Check and Justify
Learning Intentions
For children to build an understanding of
strategies to aid mental computation using the 4
processes.
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For children to develop speed and accuracy when
recalling basic facts using the 4 processes.
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Instant recall of friends of 10
Instant recall of doubles/halves
Instant recall of place value (ThHTOs)
Instant recall of subitising cards
Instant recall of strategies covered including
explanations of eg. Bridging 10, Number
Splitting
For children to understand how to identify the
relevant information, use a specific and effective
strategy and choose the appropriate calculation,
to solve problems.
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Note:
The integration of ICT should be considered (where applicable) when working on mental computation, automaticity and problem solving.
Common vocabulary should be used across the school, regardless of grade or teacher, so students are aware of concepts regardless of where they are at in
their schooling.
Automaticity vs Fluency:
This is the AC definition of fluency- it includes aspects of automaticity but not just that- as you can see students who are fluent choose and use
strategies, and the bit that is automaticity is recall factual knowledge and concepts readily.
Fluency
Students develop skills in choosing appropriate procedures, carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently and
appropriately, and recalling factual knowledge and concepts readily. Students are fluent when they calculate answers efficiently,
when they recognise robust ways of answering questions, when they choose appropriate methods and approximations, when they
recall definitions and regularly use facts, and when they can manipulate expressions and equations to find solutions.
Know your students and know their strengths.
Show how to use these strategies by:
 Modelling
 Making connections explicit
 Choosing appropriate concrete materials
 Asking children which items are suitable for solving the problem
 Using authentic learning tasks – use real life problems
 Self-reflect – through class discussion (promoting common vocabulary)
 Draw on prior knowledge from earlier in the year or previous years