Yesterday, your friend read aloud the phone number of a local pizza restaurant. After hearing the number, you quickly remembered the digits and called the shop. Could you still recite that number today? Likely not, but you could easily repeat it in the moment thanks to your working memory.
The connection between working memory and math performance
What is working memory? And how significant is working memory in math?
What is working memory?
Acting as the brain’s ‘mental scratchpad,’ working memory allows a person to temporarily hold a small amount of information in the mind for immediate use. Working memory allows students and adults to retain information for in-the-moment use. Recalling directions, holding a conversation, reading, and reciting a list of numbers are all examples of working memory in action.
While long-term memory is like a library, working memory is similar to a chalkboard, where the brain quickly uses and erases information. Another picture of the role of working memory is that of a tabletop. “We talk about it as ‘cognitive workspace.’ When you have a lot of new information, it’s easy to overload your cognitive workspace, and things start falling off,” said Linda Hecker, MEd.
How does working memory relate to math?
Working memory is essential in children’s mathematical learning since it helps students hold and process information when solving problems. For example, when approaching a word problem, a student must actively process what the question is asking, perform number calculations, and synthesize information to find the answer.
The long-term benefits of math fact fluency
Just like the chalkboard and tabletop metaphors, working memory space is limited, which can make students’ minds feel easily bogged down when problem-solving in math. If students are overloaded with too much information, they struggle to perform the necessary tasks to solve a problem.
Math fact fluency is the ability to recall basic math facts accurately, quickly, and effortlessly. When students achieve math automaticity with these facts, they attain a level of mastery that enables them to retrieve them from long-term memory without conscious effort or attention.
Freeing up working memory for advanced learning
When students can immediately recall math facts (without counting on their fingers or using scratch paper), they free up working memory space and create room for advanced problem-solving like long division or adding fractions with unlike denominators.
Take a listen to learn more about the relationship between working memory, math facts, and math anxiety.
How math fact fluency impacts test scores
Math fact fluency impacts more than just in-the-moment problem-solving—it boosts math success and improves test scores.
Math fact retrieval and standardized test performance
Multiple studies show that math fact retrieval speed is a significant predictor of performance on standardized tests. Fact retrieval speed also predicts performance on math concept problems, word problems, data interpretation problems, and mathematical reasoning items.
Impact on progress in later grades
Fact fluency sets the foundation for future work with math, both in a child’s current grade level and beyond. For example, fluency in addition facts helps students understand multiplication. Once students can automatically recall multiplication facts, they will be better prepared to solve algebraic equations.
When students become math fact fluent, they also make fewer basic computation errors and develop increased math motivation and confidence.
Strengthening working memory and fluency in the classroom
ExploreLearning Reflex is an adaptive, research-based math fact fluency program. For over 13 years, Reflex has helped millions of students develop math fact fluency and free up working memory space.
Built on a fact family approach, Reflex delivers individualized fact practice at each student’s appropriate level. And with game-driven learning (did someone say school-wide fluency competitions?), math fact practice becomes an engaging and rewarding experience for all students.
New research involving 35,000+ students in grades 3, 4, and 5 found that Reflex use led to significant fluency gains and increased overall grade-level math proficiency. Are you ready to help students develop fluency to pave the way for advanced problem-solving? Try Reflex in your classroom!
