Wondering about Xtra Math? If your child attended our school last year, they did Xtra math in school. This year we will be using Xtra math 2-3 times a month in school but I would ask you have your child try to do it twice a week at home. Occasionally I will assign homework on Xtra Math and your child will need to log in and do it that night to get homework credit. You will notice that working on math facts is just a small portion of our math program and we spend most time working on math concepts and skills and math vocabulary. A big focus is also working on the Common Core State Standards Standards of Mathematical Practice, such as explaining your mathematical thinking (ie. How do you know the number 73 is larger than the number 48?) We strive for balance so that students leave second grade with a good base in all areas of mathematics.
Wondering "What is Xtra Math?"
Here is what the website says:
Wondering "What is Xtra Math?"
Here is what the website says:
XtraMath helps students transition from counting or calculating the basic math facts to recalling them. Recalling math facts instead of calculating them frees up mental resources for higher-level operations.
XtraMath uses timed quizzes and practices to encourage students to answer the questions as quickly as possible combined with spaced repetition to efficiently develop recall. The three-second threshold is carefully selected to be long enough to type in a recalled answer but not long enough for the student to comfortably enter a counted or calculated answer.
Students should have already learned the basic counting or calculating strategies and be able to solve the problems without time pressure before starting to practice an operation on XtraMath.
Wondering why Xtra Math is timed for 3 seconds and why we can't adjust the settings to give students more time?
XtraMath uses timed quizzes and practices to encourage students to answer the questions as quickly as possible combined with spaced repetition to efficiently develop recall. The three-second threshold is carefully selected to be long enough to type in a recalled answer but not long enough for the student to comfortably enter a counted or calculated answer.
Students should have already learned the basic counting or calculating strategies and be able to solve the problems without time pressure before starting to practice an operation on XtraMath.
Wondering why Xtra Math is timed for 3 seconds and why we can't adjust the settings to give students more time?
XtraMath is designed to measure what basic math facts students can recall, not what they can calculate. Three seconds is a carefully selected compromise that is long enough that a relatively slow typist can enter a recalled answer, and short enough so that most finger-counted responses are not erroneously considered fluent. If you increase the interval then you are no longer measuring fluency.
Most students get pretty good at typing numbers after only a few sessions of XtraMath. If you're concerned that typing speed is a problem then you could have your child practice number typing prior to using XtraMath. A Google search will turn up many number typing games. For students with fine-motor difficulties it is okay for an adult to type in numbers on behalf of the child.
For maximum effectiveness XtraMath adjusts to each student and has them practice near the limit of their abilities. This might be uncomfortable for some students. If students do not get the correct answer within the three second threshold they should not perceive it as a personal failure but as a normal challenge of the XtraMath "game".
Most students get pretty good at typing numbers after only a few sessions of XtraMath. If you're concerned that typing speed is a problem then you could have your child practice number typing prior to using XtraMath. A Google search will turn up many number typing games. For students with fine-motor difficulties it is okay for an adult to type in numbers on behalf of the child.
For maximum effectiveness XtraMath adjusts to each student and has them practice near the limit of their abilities. This might be uncomfortable for some students. If students do not get the correct answer within the three second threshold they should not perceive it as a personal failure but as a normal challenge of the XtraMath "game".