Number fact fluency is often misunderstood, with memorisation positioned as something to avoid in favour of conceptual understanding. This workshop reframes memorisation for what it is: the ability to remember and retrieve knowledge efficiently which is a critical component of mathematical success.
Drawing on cognitive science, including Cognitive Load Theory, working memory constraints, and schema development, this session explores why automaticity with number facts is essential. When students can recall facts quickly and accurately, they reduce the burden on working memory, allowing them to engage more successfully with complex, grade-level mathematics.

Participants will examine how fluency develops through the Instructional Hierarchy—from effortful strategies to automatic recall—and why speed and accuracy are both necessary indicators of mastery.

Grounded in evidence-informed practice, this workshop will provide practical approaches to building number fact fluency through explicit instruction, retrieval practice, and systematic review.

By the end of the session, participants will have a clear understanding of why fluency matters, what it actually involves, and how developing automatic recall supports students to think, reason, and succeed in mathematics.