Memorizing math facts is the start, not the problem.
A 2025 research review found that knowing the facts cold and understanding the methods work together.
They recommend timed practice only after students are accurate.
The numbers back it up.
A 2026 analysis of 35 studies found fact-fluency practice gave a large boost to students who struggle with math.
A 2023 analysis of 55 studies found worked examples, solved problems students learn from, raised math scores by a moderate amount.
England has tested times tables in Year 4 since 2022.
The average score rose from 19.8 out of 25 that first year to 21.0 in 2024/25.
England scored above the US on the 2023 TIMSS international math test at both grades tested.
But memorizing alone stalls out.
In OECD's PISA data, students who leaned on memorization the most were four times less likely to solve the hardest problem.
On easy problems they did just as well.
Only 12% of Japanese students and 17% of Korean students said they mostly memorize for math tests. In the US it was 29%.
When I tutored, the kids who knew their facts had room left to think about the problem. If a student didn't know them, we worked on the facts first and the problem second. Once the arithmetic is automatic, the mind is free for the harder ideas.