ABSTRACT

The purpose of this action research study was to evaluate my own practice of teaching basic
multiplication facts to fourth graders. I wanted to see how focusing my instruction on strategies
would help my students develop proficiency in basic multiplication facts. I chose this topic because
Florida was in the process of shifting to new standards that encourage teaching for deeper meaning.
I hoped this research would give my students the opportunity to make sense of multiplication on a
deeper level, while giving me insight into how students learn multiplication. Through this study, I
learned that students initially find multiplication to be very difficult, but they can solve basic facts
with ease when using strategies. Students did become more proficient with basic multiplication
facts, and they were also able to apply basic fact strategies to extended facts and other multidigit
multiplication problems. There is a limited amount of research on how students acquire basic
multiplication fact proficiency; however, this study offers more insight to teachers and the research
community.

The unreliability of short-term memory. An understanding of working memory and long-term

memory must be separated from an understanding of short term memory. Potter (2012) explains
that this type of memory is mostly unconscious, and little reflective understanding occurs. She also
states that when momentary information is not tied to a person’s schema or related to previously
understood concepts, that momentary information is quickly forgotten (Potter, 2012).

Computer-assisted learning strategies. With the implementation of Common Core in forty-seven of

the fifty United States, schools across the country have been addressing the issue of “Technology
Literacy” (Iowa Department of Education, 2012). Within “Technology Literacy”, students are
expected to use technological tools to answer questions, access information, and select and use
technology to accomplish positive tasks (Iowa Department of Education, 2012). With this Common
Core in place, what part can technology play in assisting students with learning basic multiplication
facts?

Avoid using rote memorization. The instructional multiplication strategies outlined earlier mustn’t be
confused for the practice of rote memorization. Rote memorization refers to teaching facts
individually, as students are being exposed to an answer repeatedly without being taught
appropriate strategies, challenged with adequate progression, or having facts differentiated
Improving Multiplication 25 at an individual level. Often referred to as drill-and-kill, the practice of
rote memorization can lead to students feeling anxiety toward mathematics (Geist, 2010).

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a strategic training
program for improving students’ performance in solving multiplication problems. The
participants were 3 third graders with math difficulties. In this teaching experiment,
microgenetic analysis was used to analyze improvement in students’ strategic development
and problem-solving accuracy. The instructional components included selective task
assignment and OFSD (encouraging students to use Own strategy to solve problems,
providing Feedback, asking for students’ Self-explanations, and explicit Demonstration of
strategies when needed). The results showed that the three participants began the
intervention at different strategic developmental levels and consequently were given
differentiated tasks to promote their strategic development during the intervention. In
response to the intervention, the three participants improved their problem-solving accuracy,
use of advanced strategies, and flexibility in choosing backup strategies.

bstract

Automaticity in math facts has been of considerable interest to special educators

for decades. A review of the intervention literature suggests at least two common
approaches to developing automaticity in facts. One is grounded in the use of
strategies for teaching facts, the other emphasizes the use of timed practice drills.
Recent research indicates that students might benefit from an integration of these
two approaches. This experimental study contrasted an integrated approach (i.e.,
strategies and timed practice drills) with timed practice drills only for teaching
multiplication facts. Participants were 58 fourth-grade students with a range of
academic abilities. Fifteen of the students in the study had IEPs in math. Results
indicated that both approaches were effective in helping students achieve
automaticity in multiplication facts. However, students in the integrated approach
generally performed better on posttest and maintenance test measures that
assessed the application of facts to extended facts and approximation tasks.
These results have implications for teaching a range of skills and concepts that
are considered important to overall mathematical competence in the elementary
grades.

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Developing Automaticity in Multiplication Facts: Integrating Strategy

Instruction with Timed Practice Drills