Capstone task 2.docx Improving Multiplication Fact Fluency in a Fourth Grade Classroom

Capstone task 2.docx    Improving Multiplication Fact Fluency in a Fourth Grade Classroom  Capstone Prospectus  Research Topic  I am enrolled in the Master  of Arts, Mathematics Education (K-6) degree program. The purpose of this study is to research strategies that can help fourth graders to increase fluency of multiplication facts so that, in later grades, they can be successful in learning new concepts that rely on this automaticity. “Teachers often comment that this is a topic that students struggle to master”,  (Thomson & Gay, 2020 p.558).  This study will benefit elementary teachers, in the fourth grade, so they can teach fluent recall of multiplication facts.  This topic is important to me because in the Algebra class I co-teach, ninth- graders struggle with learning math concepts when they do not have  fluent recall of multiplication facts, causing them to lose interest in further learning of concepts. “Research has shown  that inefficient solving of basic  facts depletes resources that are needed for acquiring more advanced computational skills”,  (Reed, Gemmink,  Broens-Paffen, Kirschner, & Jollse, 2015,  p. 2). This skill would benefit the Mathematics field by allowing students to become confident mathematically and  to improve their learning of more advanced mathematical concepts.  Problem Statement  Students in the researchers 4th-grade class struggle with learning multiplication facts fluently.  This is a significant problem because students need to learn concepts that involv