Building a foundation of how concepts and terms are used is vital for further understanding of math. Many children rapidly understand complex math terms if they are given freedom to explore and experiment. They thrive at solving math problems where they need to interpret new situations and apply old skills in new contexts. They both have the skill to use mathematical concepts in new situations and the confidence to try. Other children need more time to grasp concepts and to gain in confidence. To be successful in math, children need a foundation with basic numeracy skills and problem-solving strategies. Repetition tasks have benefits for building a solid foundation for all children. Some children may need more repetition exercises before they are ready to move on the interpretation tasks.
Repetition tasks help to improve speed and increase a child's confidence. When a new concept is introduced, it is important to allow all children to practice on their skills so that they understand the different steps involved in solving, for example, a division task. Many maths problems used in schools are real-life problems that motivate and challenge a child to use his skills. To solve these tasks, a child needs to both identify how to solve the problem and be able to use basic math skills. The more confident a child is in using various math skills the more he can focus on deciding suitable strategies to solve a task.
Some children need to practice more to learn skills such as the timetables. Although an understanding of how you multiply figures is vital, a certain speed is also required. When a child is having trouble with solving problems, it is important to consider using repetition tasks to help promote development of speed and confidence. Although repetition tasks do not require understanding, they still can promote the development of understanding. Allowing a child to ask questions during repetition tasks can enhance knowledge and understanding.
Repetitive skill building is no guarantee that a child develops the ability to solve problems. By providing a child with a mixture of math problems where problem-solving tasks are mixed with skill-building tasks, you ensure that she does not lose interest by solving the same problem. Repetition tasks help a child to grow in confidence and speed. Yet it is vital that repetition tasks are enjoyable. Exercise sheets can be mixed with group activities such as math songs, rhymes and games. These activities help to motivate a child and ensure that she does not lose interest in math. Motivation to solve a task is important, and repetition should be carried out in a way that allows a child to practice the same skills and still experience surprises and small challenges. These challenges do not have to involve math skills; rather, there can be time challenges where a child has to solve similar tasks faster. Repetition exercises can involve language skills such as repeating the multiplication table while saying a nonsense word after the number sequences.