Teach students to gauge values quickly without actually counting items. Explain this concept by filling two identical glasses with different levels of water. Ask the students which one has more water. Explain that the same thing can be done in math. When given two objects, you can estimate the value of one without actually figuring out the answer. Start with simple comparisons such as asking if the number 12 is greater than, less than or equal to 11. Progress to larger numbers and eventually add equations.
Teach kids how to count more effectively by showing them how to recognize patterns. Use coins or pieces of paper and ask the students to count them quickly by grouping the objects into small groups. Place two pennies on a desk and ask students to recognize what a set of two pennies looks like. Add three, four, five and up to 10 pennies. Similar to how you can look at two apples and know there are two apples without having to count them, you also can do this with larger numbers of items. It just takes practice and experience. Incorporate this into a five-minute activity at the beginning of class while you are taking roll.
Integrate daily addition, subtraction, multiplication and division quizzes to help improve the students' concept of basic mathematics. Each day at the beginning or end of class, have a set of 20 questions in four rows that students must complete. Place the quizzes face-down on the desk and tell the students they have 30 seconds to complete as many problems as possible. At the start of the year, give the students simple two-digit addition and subtraction; as students improve, make the problems more difficult and gradually incorporate multiplication and division.
Create or purchase number concept flashcards. Have each student in the classroom answer a question and then move on to the next student. If a student gets a wrong answer, give the student one more chance and then let the next student answer. Take note of the problems that students have difficulty answering and concentrate on those concepts for five minutes after the flash card exercise is completed. By completing this exercise once a week, you can ensure that all of the students are learning and improving with a solid mathematical foundation.