ThinkFast!

The mastery-based, fact fluency program that delivers just what the student needs.

Who can Access ThinkFast!?

If your school or district purchased an iLearn plan with ThinkFast!, students, teachers, school and district administrators have access to ThinkFast!. On the iLearn Hub, after logging in at www.ilearn.com/login all available iLearn programs display in color.

Important: ThinkFast! requires different interaction than the other programs. When questions appear, the student should be engaged and ready to answer correctly, and quickly, with one hand on the mouse and the other hand poised to submit answers by pressing the spacebar on the keyboard.

iLearn Hub for Teachers

How ThinkFast! is Structured

In all sections of ThinkFast!, the student must use their mouse to select numbers from the onscreen keypad and use the spacebar on their keyboard to submit answers. No other keys are active on the keyboard. This entry method is utilized to standardize entry input across all students, and encourages a consistent method of input while becoming fluent.

ThinkFast! is designed to help students gain fluency with the basic math facts. Students advance sequentially by either skipping the facts they know, or learning those they don’t. It uses explicit instruction in efficient strategies coupled with innovative use of these strategies to support practice. The result is that accuracy (learning the facts) and speed are developed in parallel – without the need for additional instructional activities or support. ThinkFast! includes two Units : Addition/Subtraction and Multiplication/Division.

At the start of each Unit and Chapter are Pretests that include a Number Entry Checkup and a Unit FreePass Test. The Number Entry Checkup is used to assess the rate at which the student can enter the numbers used in the Unit FreePass Test. The student is required to simply “copy” the number displayed by entering it in the answer box. The resulting “number entry rate” is subtracted from the total answer time in the FreePass test to evaluate the “thinking time.” The student must enter a minimum number of answers to get past the Number Entry Checkup, and how quickly they enter the numbers determines the student’s required number of correct answers. All tests in ThinkFast! have a time limit of one minute.

The Fluency Level in ThinkFast! is measured by the thinking time needed for students to enter correct answers. The thinking time is based on two factors: (1) the speed at which the student was able to enter and submit answers in the Number Entry Checkup and (2) the student’s enrolled grade level. The default value for thinking time for students in Grade 4 and above is 1.2 seconds per correct answer. For Grade 3 the default value for thinking time is 1.3 seconds. For Grade 2 the default value for thinking time is 1.4 seconds. For Grade 1 the default value for thinking time is 1.5 seconds. Depending on a student’s performance in the Number Entry Checkup, the thinking time can range from 1.2 seconds to 1.8 seconds.

ThinkFast Example Screen

After completing the Number Entry Checkup, students begin the Unit FreePass Test. These Tests determine whether the student is already fluent with the facts in the Unit or needs additional work to develop fluency with these facts. If the student meets the fluency requirements on these tests, they skip the Unit. If they pass the Unit FreePass Test for addition and subtraction, they advance to multiplication and division. The Unit FreePass Test requires students to enter a minimum number of digits correct per minute, while also maintaining a passing percent correct of 80%.

If the student passes the Addition/Subtraction Unit FreePass Test, they move to the Multiplication/Division Unit Pretests. If the student does not pass, they move to the first Chapter’s Pretests. If the student passes, they move to the second Chapter’s FreePass Test. When a student does not pass a Chapter FreePass Test, they enter the first Lesson Instruction.

Lessons consist of three activities. The instruction for a Lesson uses explicit instruction to teach the student an efficient mental strategy for recalling the correct answer for each fact included in the Lesson. The Practice Activities provide an opportunity for the student to practice using the strategies taught in instruction. The Review Activities provide integrated practice that combines accuracy and speed practice for the combined subsets of facts covered in prior Lessons and/or Chapters. The purpose is to facilitate the recall of facts when presented in a mixed set and to further strengthen both accuracy and speed of recall over time.

ThinkFast Lesson Example Screen

In Practice, students have a few seconds, depending on their Number Entry Rate, to think of the answer, use the mouse to click it in the keypad, and submit the answer by pressing the space bar on their keyboard. If needed, students can click the Help to answer correctly. After a few seconds, ThinkFast! automatically plays the Help to assist the student in answering correctly.

Depending on the amount of time it takes for a student to submit an answer, the student can receive either three stars (for a correct answer before the Help begins), two stars (for a correct answer while the Help is playing), or one star (for a correct answer after the Help has played in its entirety).

When the student finishes the Practice, the results are scored and feedback is provided. The student must reach a minimum of Level 10 to pass the Practice. Students can score up to Level 5 by answering questions correctly regardless of how quickly they answer. To score above Level 5, students must answer questions while Help plays or before Help begins. To reach Level 10, the student must answer at least 90% of the questions correctly, and before Help begins (three stars). While students only need to reach Level 10 to pass the Practice, a Level of 15 can be reached by answering more questions correctly.

When completing a Practice with Level 10 or higher, students advance to the next Lesson’s Instruction. After completing the last Lesson in a Chapter, the student advances to the Chapter Completion Test. Here the student must answer a minimum number of digits correct per minute and maintain 80%+ correct to pass. After passing the Chapter Completion Test, a student advances to the next Chapter’s Pretests. When a student passes the last Chapter in a Unit, they advance to the Unit Completion Test. Passing the first Unit Completion Test for Addition and Subtraction advances the student to Multiplication and Division, the final Unit in ThinkFast!.

ThinkFast! – Student Version

Students log in at www.iLearn.com/login and click ThinkFast! hub icon

above "ThinkFast!."

iLearn Hub for Students

When a student logs into ThinkFast! for the first time, he/she will complete a brief introduction lesson. Important: in ThinkFast! enter and submit answers with the mouse and spacebar on the keyboard.

To begin, the student clicks ThinkFast Play Icon

.

When a student finishes their activity in ThinkFast! for the day, the student should click the exit button in the program (not the browser). Clicking this ThinkFast Exit Icon

button when leaving ThinkFast! returns the student to the iLearn Hub.

ThinkFast! Lesson Screen

The top of the ThinkFast program contains some important information.

ThinkFast! Activity Bar

Above is the student’s current activity.

ThinkFast! Location Bar

This displays the student’s current location. Here, the student is working in the Unit Addition/Subtraction, in Chapter 1, Lesson 1, Lesson Practice.

ThinkFast! Movement Buttons

The Back, Repeat, and Next buttons are available to students only in Lesson Instruction. Students can navigate to previous pages of Instruction, but can navigate forward only if they have just navigated backward. Students can also replay entire pages of Instruction by clicking Repeat.

ThinkFast! Keypad Buttons

The entry keypad displays in the middle of the screen. Students use the mouse to click numbers on the keypad. Clicking the Erase button removes the last digit clicked.

ThinkFast! – Teacher Version

Teachers can access ThinkFast! the same as students, by logging in at www.iLearn.com/login and clicking ThinkFast! hub icon

above "ThinkFast!."

iLearn Hub for Teachers

Teachers can view any part of ThinkFast! and offer guidance to the student experiencing difficulty. It is also critical to view the reports and the student’s interaction with the program.

To review an Activity in ThinkFast! teachers select a Unit, then a Chapter, then a Lesson, then an Activity, and click ThinkFast Play Icon

to enter.

Teachers can click Test Review at the top of the screen, then select a class, and finally a student and review tests the student has completed in ThinkFast!. Clicking a test will open Test Review for that test, and display all answers submitted by the student.

ThinkFast! TR View

Suggestions of Use

ThinkFast! uses scaffolding and individualized instruction in multimedia format with graphics, animation, and voice narration to teach students efficient strategies for fluency in basic math facts. ThinkFast! is highly effective in helping students to replace old habits like counting on their fingers, and it provides a rewarding way to learn addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Each student receives all the help they need, but only the help they need to develop fluent recall of all facts. The fact that the entire diagnostic process is handled automatically within ThinkFast! means the teacher is never burdened with the need for prior assessment or to make assignments to students based on such assessments.

General Usage Tips

With ThinkFast!, students can master basic math facts quickly, which will help student confidence, and allow the student to succeed at higher levels in mathematics. We suggest using ThinkFast! on a regular basis, such as warming-up before class, or at home. It is also an excellent solution for students having difficulty passing fluency sections in iPASS. If the student is below Grade 3, you may choose to have them complete only Addition and Subtraction, then have them return to iPASS.

We also suggest monitoring the reports on a daily basis. Students with access to ThinkFast! can log in and work on any computer connected to the internet, so students can work from home. It is important that students who struggle with basic math facts not receive help from siblings or their parents while working in ThinkFast!. Monitoring the reports also helps to ensure that students are advancing without undue difficulty. If you notice that a student has been active in ThinkFast! for several days in the same exact location, the student may be struggling and needs assistance.

In Conjunction with Other iLearn Programs

Depending on what your school or district purchased, students could have access to a number of different programs; some students may only have vBook, and some may have all programs. Each iLearn program can be used independently, or in conjunction with another specific program. It’s always best to coordinate at the district or school level to make the best of instructional time.

The five programs and basic functionality are:

vBook – a student-choice instructional program giving access to any content at any time.
iPASS – a mastery-based instructional program that delivers only the content needed, starting with the earliest knowledge gap. Students proceed sequentially to higher content, based on skipping content by passing Challenge (Pre) Tests, and by passing Mastery (Post) Tests, with the program making content delivery decisions based on student performance.
MyQ – a teacher-controlled instructional program in which teachers assign queues of grouped content. Students can only access the content the teacher assigns, and only as assigned, in a Fixed Order or Any Order.
iKnow – a teacher-controlled assessment program allowing teachers to assign tests. Students can only access the tests assigned, which include benchmark, universal screener, and progress monitoring tests.
ThinkFast! – a mastery-based instructional program for fluency on basic math facts that delivers only the content a student needs. Students proceed sequentially, with the program making content delivery decisions based on student performance.

iLearn offers programs with content controlled by you the teacher, or the student, or the computer. We suggest understanding each program and planning a strategy to meet your goals. However, here are some suggestions on how to get started:

Start the school year off with a Universal Screening assessment in iKnow. This will allow you to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each student at prior grade levels.
Use iPASS with at-risk students, with advanced students, or ALL students to address critical needs below grade level, solidify grade level competence, and provide opportunities grade level
Use MyQ and/or vBook to assign grade level content to all students. Use vBook for verbal or written assignments, or MyQ to control access to the content.
Use ThinkFast! for any and all students who need extra fluency practice, or have difficulty passing the fluency sections in iPASS.

ThinkFast! by Itself

ThinkFast! can be used independently from all other programs. It can be used with any students to verify fluency (in which case students complete the program in about 10 minutes), but is best used with students who need improvement in fluency in the basic facts.