Recommendations for Use with First Grade Students

For successful implementation of MathFactLab with first graders, we recommend the following:

• Teachers and/or coaches are familiar with the tools available to differentiate the program, as our default settings may not be a good fit for many first graders.
• Teachers monitor and provide support as students use the program.
• Students already have a basic understanding of addition and subtraction.
• Students have already had ample practice solving single-digit addition and subtraction problems with manipulatives
• Students are familiar with at least some of the models they will encounter in the program, such as ten frames, number lines, rekenreks, and bar diagrams.

Most likely (and of course depending on your situation) this would mean that first graders probably would not be starting the year using MathFactLab. Instead, we suggest teachers wait until the foundations for understanding and success with the program are in place before beginning. From what we hear from first-grade teachers, this typically leads to a start date about two to three months into the school year.