In today’s classrooms, students have immediate access to apps and on-demand information – but does access to tools equal understanding? Many teachers wouldn’t agree.
What matters, and arguably matters more than ever, is fluency: the ability to work with numbers confidently, quickly, accurately, and with an instinctive sense of what looks right.
Fluency is often (mis)understood as racing through worksheets or memorising rules, but it’s actually about building familiarity with numbers and developing confidence to have a go. These are the habits that help learners engage with maths more positively and use digital tools wisely rather than relying on them blindly.
World Maths Day, delivered through Mathletics, provides a powerful way for teachers to strengthen these capabilities. As the world’s largest online mathematics competition, it gives students a global stage to practise core skills under real-world conditions, building confidence, fluency and engagement with maths.
Here are five fluency-focused maths skills children need in the digital age, and how they show up in real classrooms.
1. Working confidently with numbers
Students who are comfortable with numbers are more willing to attempt problems, even when they are unsure. They are less likely to freeze and more likely to try, adjust and try again (and again).
Regular, low stakes practice builds this confidence. Short bursts of fast paced maths, especially when framed as a challenge rather than a test, can help students develop familiarity with numbers in a way that feels achievable.
2. Speed with understanding
Fluency is not just about speed, but speed with understanding. Being able to recall basic facts and work through simple calculations without hesitation frees up mental space for students to focus on the problem itself.
As students build fluency, they often become faster, more accurate and more confident in attempting questions. Timed, game-like experiences such as Live Mathletics helps students practise pace with accuracy.
3. Persistence when things feel tricky
A key part of fluency is the willingness to keep going when an answer does not come straight away.
Enjoyable, short form maths challenges help build this persistence. When students see improvement over just a few rounds of practice, they are more likely to stick with tasks that feel challenging. That sense of ‘I can get better at this’ is a powerful driver of ongoing engagement with maths.
4. Self-checking and sense-checking
Fluent learners develop an internal sense of whether an answer feels reasonable. They pause, reconsider and adjust rather than accepting the first answer a tool gives them.
This habit develops through repeated exposure to familiar number patterns and quick problem solving. When students work through multiple short questions in succession, they begin to notice when something feels off and are more inclined to correct themselves. That instinct is increasingly important in a world where answers are often generated instantly by digital tools.
5. Enjoyment and positive maths experiences
Perhaps the most overlooked skill is enjoyment. Students who associate maths with positive experiences are more likely to engage, practise and improve over time.
Creating experiences where maths feels social, energising – and achievable – can shift how students feel about the subject.
Making fluency visible and enjoyable is worth the effort – see how World Maths Day can help
In the digital age, fluency remains one of the most valuable foundations students can build. Confidence with numbers, speed with understanding, persistence, self-checking and positive experiences all contribute to how comfortably students engage with maths, both in and beyond the classroom.
World Maths Day, hosted by Mathletics and played through Live Mathletics, is an easy way to give students focused practice, build confidence and help them experience maths as something they can enjoy and get better at – all in the spirit of teamwork and friendly rivalry.
Registrations opened on 25th February, and this year promises to be the biggest yet.
With this year’s theme, ‘United by Numbers’, the focus on inclusivity is even greater – not only because the event is free and open to any school around the globe, but because any student can take part and, with the right support, stand on the digital podium.
Used alongside everyday classroom teaching, experiences like this can help shift how students feel about maths, from something they avoid to something they are more willing to engage with.
Register your school on Mathletics from 25th February and give your students the chance to excel in the digital age.
The above article was supplied to The Educator by 3P Learning.