• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Demme Learning
  • Math-U-See
  • Spelling You See
  • Analytical Grammar
  • WriteShop
  • Store
  • Digital Toolbox
Demme Learning

Demme Learning

Building Lifelong Learners

  • Search

  • Sort by

  • Category

Customer Service: M-F 8:30am - 6pm ET
Live Chat • 888-854-6284 • Email

Shop Now
  • Home
  • About
    • Philosophy
    • History
    • Company Culture
    • Careers
  • Products
    • Math-U-See
    • Spelling You See
    • Analytical Grammar
    • WriteShop
    • Building Faith Families
    • KinderTown
  • Blog
  • Guild
    • Math Resources
    • Spelling Resources
    • Webinars
    • eBook
    • Digital Toolbox
    • Partnerships
  • Events
    • The Demme Learning Show
    • Virtual Events
    • In Person Events
  • Digital Toolbox
  • Support Center
Home Learning Blog Math Mastery vs. Spiral Math

Math Mastery vs. Spiral Math

Math Mastery vs. Spiral Math

Jean Soyke · March 24, 2016 · 1 Comment

Proponents of math mastery believe that math is learned best when learned incrementally, with one skill building on the next.

If you like lively discussions, conduct an internet search for math mastery vs. spiral math.

The intensity of the interest in this topic runs at the same level as discussions related to reading methods and which philosophy to follow.

While it is always interesting to read the opinions of others, parents should take the time to research the options, consider their individual children, and make the decision that is best for their own families.

What is Math Mastery and Spiral Math?

The terms mastery and spiral describe the most commonly-used approaches to teaching math.

Math Mastery

Proponents of math mastery believe that math is learned best when learned incrementally, with one skill building on the next. In a mastery math program, a student develops a thorough comprehension of one topic before moving on.

Spiral Math

The spiral math approach presents a given set of topics that repeat from level to level. Each time the material is revisited, more depth is added, linking new concepts to the learning that has already taken place. A program designed according to the spiral approach might have a student learn multiplication facts in one level, multiply two-digit numbers in the next level, and multiply three-digit numbers in the following level.

At the end of both programs, the same concepts have been covered, but the order and the manner in which the students learn them differ significantly.

The spiral approach has been characteristic of American education since 1960. However, a shift began in the early 1990s, when the United States began participating in international testing. International Mathematics and Science Studies conducted since 1995 show American students performing in the lower half of all the countries represented. This caused educators to start looking at how math was being taught in some of the highest-performing countries in the world. It was soon discovered that these countries preferred a mastery approach over spiral instruction, and when these methods were adopted in Western classrooms, significant differences in student achievement were the result. Today, most textbook publishers and educators support a mastery model in math instruction.

Math Mastery Criticisms

While the educational community today believes that mastery learning is the best practice, there are still some criticisms of this approach.

1) No Opportunity for Review

One concern is that students never have the opportunity to go back and review previously learned material. Math-U-See, which follows a mastery approach, addresses this by incorporating Systematic Review pages, where students are not only able to review past concepts but are also able to practice with the new one in the context of other problems – a necessary skill for being successful on a standardized test.

2) Pushed Along the Same Path

Second, critics of the mastery approach suggest that students are all pushed along the same path, with no opportunity to pursue topics in more depth. Math-U-See’s Application and Enrichment pages are designed to meet the needs of the students who want to know more, offering engaging and interesting activities that build on the concepts presented in the lessons.

3) Focusing on Concepts One at a Time

Finally, the mastery approach has been accused of focusing on individual concepts one at a time, never showing how they all fit into the glorious whole. Math-U-See addresses this issue by tying each new concept learned back to the same group of math manipulatives, giving students the underlying, cohesive foundation they need to be successful in math.

Have You Heard About AIM?

Accelerated Individualized Mastery (AIM) provides a new solution for struggling math students with gaps in their foundational math skills set. The AIM programs use proven Math-U-See strategies and manipulatives in combination with an accelerated approach to help students successfully master math concepts.

Weekly Newsletter

Subscribe to the weekly Demme Learning newsletter for the latest blog posts, webinars, and more!

Previous Post Next Post

Category iconMath-U-See

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Angela Schaefer says

    October 13, 2022 at 11:12 pm

    My situation is very different. I am 49 years old and was in special education classes until I graduated from high school. Though I have not been diagnosed yet as having dyscalculia. The symptoms are consistent with what I have experienced my whole life. I do have 24 year old son and by the time he was in 6th grade. I was unable to help him with math. So I took the placement test. My level is Beta. So in February I will be ordering. I did watch the sample lesson. For the first time I actually understood the lesson. I never thought that I would be able too. Thank you so much.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Stories

  • Math-U-See manipulatives stacked and scattered on a table.

    What Makes Math-U-See Manipulatives So Special?

  • Many people wonder how they should use the Math-U-See manipulatives to teach math. If you don't use them properly, they are not going to be very helpful.

    How to Use the Math-U-See Manipulatives

  • Educators have discovered that using math manipulatives helps students of all ages to learn new concepts and deepen understanding.

    Math Manipulatives Aren't Just for "Little Kids"

Primary Sidebar

Stories
show/hide
  • Math-U-See manipulatives stacked and scattered on a table.
    What Makes Math-U-See Manipulatives So Special?
  • Many people wonder how they should use the Math-U-See manipulatives to teach math. If you don't use them properly, they are not going to be very helpful.
    How to Use the Math-U-See Manipulatives
  • Educators have discovered that using math manipulatives helps students of all ages to learn new concepts and deepen understanding.
    Math Manipulatives Aren't Just for "Little Kids"

Subscribe to our newsletter!

Over 150,000 parents enjoy our weekly newsletter, with informative blog posts, product information, and more!

Footer

Our Location

Address:
Demme Learning
207 Bucky Drive
Lititz, PA 17543

Contact Us

Customer Service M-F 8:30am - 6pm ET
Live Chat 888-854-6284 Email

Hours

Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 6:00 pm, Eastern time.

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Sign up for our newsletter

Sitemap

  • Home
  • About
    • Philosophy
    • History
    • Company Culture
    • Careers
  • Products
    • Math-U-See
    • Spelling You See
    • Analytical Grammar
    • WriteShop
    • Building Faith Families
    • KinderTown
  • Blog
  • Guild
    • Math Resources
    • Spelling Resources
    • Webinars
    • eBook
    • Digital Toolbox
    • Partnerships
  • Events
    • The Demme Learning Show
    • Virtual Events
    • In Person Events
  • Digital Toolbox
  • Support Center

Terms & Conditions  •  Sitemap  •  Copyright © 2023 Demme Learning •  Return to top