Fluency Fallacy #1:
Fluency is about basic facts.
There is a preconception about fluency that it solely revolves around simply knowing basic facts and being able to instantly recall those facts. This could not be further from the truth. However, if you have fallen for this belief, there is a good reason why. The reason could be that even a simple Google search regarding fluency activities will generate thousands of worksheets and tasks resembling Mad Minutes or asking students to simply solve problems, leaving no regard for the strategies that it took them to solve the problems themselves. Math instruction has changed and evolved though over the years to come to a clearer understanding and definition of what fluency actually is. Gone are the days that elementary students receive activities like Mad Minutes where they feel pressured and compelled to shovel out basic facts involving any of the four major operations. Even with this shift in understanding, the old assumptions of fluency still linger, and they aren't difficult to find.
The Truth about Fallacy #1
There is so much more understanding to be had when we're talking about a student being fluent. Knowing basic facts for fact fluency, absolutely is important, but we can help our colleagues, as well as the parents of our students, if we describe the fluency we're pursuing in our classrooms. For example, we may be wanting to work with students on procedural fluency, or operational fluency, which requires knowledge of basic facts, as well as several other key components.
Keep reading below to understand the true definition of what fluency is and how it differs from other frequently used terms in our math instruction.
Fluency Fallacy # 2:
Mastery, Fluency, and Automaticity are the SAME Thing
What do you think of when you hear the words “Mastery,” “Fluency” or “Automaticity?” In your mind, do they all share the same definition? You are not alone if that is the case. The terms are used interchangeably by many people and by many educational resource books and activities available to teachers. However, these terms have their own meanings and should not be mistaken for one another.
Mastery
Mastery is an outcome having to do with the execution of a specific skill. For example, elementary students are taught the standard algorithm for adding and subtracting with regrouping. Students able to complete the algorithm and achieve the desired sum or difference are proving that they have mastery. They have mastered the ability to work through an algorithm correctly. Therefore, they have executed that specific skill.
Automaticity
Automaticity is similar to mastery in that it is an outcome of sorts. It usually is used when students have shown that they have mastered a basic fact. For example, 8 + 7 is mastered when a student can provide the sum instantaneously. The student is able to show automaticity for that fact because they have memorized it and are able to recall the sum instantly, or they are able to effectively reason about the problem to produce an answer instantly.
Fluency
Fluency, on the other hand, is not recalling facts and it is not mastering a specific skill or procedure like an algorithm. Fluency uses mathematical procedures and strategies to solve problems, including being able to determine which strategy could be used to generate the most efficient response. Since fluency consistently evolves and changes, given particular mathematical problems, there is no way to ever truly master fluency. Fluency is based on reasoning and is something that should be modeled and practiced.
Moving Forward
Finding resources for teaching fluency can be difficult. As previously stated, several educational resources including books, activities and even worksheets claiming to be fluency practice, are actually based on student mastery.
When previewing resources for quality Fluency materials, first take a look at the directions provided. If the directions specifically guide students to use a specific manipulative to solve or tell the student what strategy to use to solve each one, then the materials you are viewing assesses Mastery, not Fluency. (Examples: Solve the following using the Making 10’s strategy. Or, Use the number line to show…). Modifications can be put in place to still use these materials effectively by removing those directions but be on the lookout!
The Truth about Fallacy #2
Now that we know that each term is different, let’s review. Mastery and automaticity are similar. Mastery focuses executing skills and procedures, while automaticity means using instant recall to know basic facts. It does take practice to do well with both mastery and automaticity. “Fluency includes mastery of skills and automaticities, but it also includes decision-making. Fluency practice attends to effiency, flexibility, accuracy, and reasonableness.”
(Source: Figuring Out Fluency 2021 by J. Bay-Williams & J. SanGiovanni)
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