FAQs
How Often Should I Use Giggle FactsTM?
This will depend greatly on what stage the student is at in learning Math Facts. If he/she is at the beginning stages, then playing several times a week is appropriate. It is entirely up to you how often you choose to play, but large time gaps between games is not advisable. It is important that the games be played frequently, consistently and sequentially. Allow the student to progress through the program at his/her own rate. Be sure to play each game several times; children love to play games again and again, so repetition is not only okay, it is desirable!
Why is a Step-By-Step Approach Employed?
Giggle Facts™ takes students from the very beginning of the Fact learning process through to mastery of the Facts. The main focus of the program is FUN GAMES…so everyone can “Play Along The Way™”! The program is divided into 2 sections, Addition and Subtraction. The Addition Facts are covered sequentially in Levels A to N, and the Subtraction Facts are covered sequentially in Levels N to Y. Level Z is a review of both the Addition and Subtraction Facts. Each level includes fun games to teach each concept, followed by an Activity Sheet to check understanding, and a Review Sheet to check all previously learned Math Facts. By playing the games at each level, completing the Giggle Facts™ Activity Sheets, and checking progress along the way, the student will be very successful in learning and retaining all the Math Facts necessary for higher-level math concepts later on.
Does Giggle FactTM Use Flashcards?
Oh, the familiar cry of students everywhere: “Not Flashcards again!” Giggle Facts™ does not use flashcards. It uses games, playing cards, dice, dominoes and strategies to engage children in fun learning activities. For years, Facts have been taught by drilling students with flashcards again and again. This is both uninteresting for the adult, and frustrating and boring for the student. Yes, flashcards serve a purpose, but they should not be the ONLY way to learn the Facts. If you have flashcards and wish to continue using them, they can be used between games to work on speed and to check mastery.
How Long Will It Take to Go Through the Entire Giggle FactsTM Program?
Giggle Facts™ is targeted at students aged 4 to 8. If a student begins the program at the early stages of Fact learning, it may take a year or more to go through the whole program. Each student will progress at differing rates, so it is less important how quickly the student works through it, but rather how well he understands the Facts at each level. Some students may not be introduced to the program until later on in the process of learning their Facts, so it would take that student less time to go through the program. It is very important that students progress through the program at their own rate for best retention of the Facts. In other words, it may take some students longer than others, but that is perfectly all right, as long as they are going through the program sequentially.