Make Math Fun - The Benefits of Using Fun Math Card Games Explored
Using fun math card games during math class can be an effective educational tool as well as a way to make math fun for the students. Besides the obvious benefit of giving students a break from their routine, math card games are an effective multisensory reinforcement tool. They provide extra repetitive drill, and innovative ways to practice the same thing, using the same set of fact cards in a variety of different ways making it seem new and different. This article will discuss these benefits in greater detail.
Benefit #1 - Multisensory Reinforcement
Math card games provide an excellent source of multisensory reinforcement as part of a well rounded educational program. What a card game does is give the students something to hold, touch and move around while they see the facts on the cards and hopefully say them as well. Manipulating the cards in a variety of games, whether it is matching, making decisions on which answer is higher or creating groups of similar attributes, they all require manipulating and manipulating is a highly effective multisensory tool.
Benefit #2- Extra Repetition Drill Opportunity
When you play a card game there are a limited amount of facts that can be used. Most games require multiple use of the same fact for matching or making groups. In a regular deck of cards there are four of each number. Any fun math card games created will have a similar spread. As a result, when playing a card game, the same fact will present itself over and over again requiring the student to say and solve the problem each time If those same facts where placed on a worksheet, the complaints will begin about "I did that one already." In a game you will not hear any complaining.
Benefit #3- Variety Allows The Same Thing To Look New
Teachers can go crazy thinking of a lot of different ways to practice the same facts to help the students learn without getting bored and to make math fun for their students. There are many varieties of card games that are familiar to us and never ending adaptations. Then there are new card games clever teachers create with new and innovative twists. With all these varieties, practicing the same facts over and over again, will seem like a new activity with each new version of a game played.
Acquiring a supply of unique and interesting card games to use in math class that will help make math fun for the students will be beneficial to all. The students will be happy to play games and help their memories absorb the facts and the teacher benefits by keeping educational quality alive and breaking the routine with something fun at the same time.