Development of Math Fluency from Foundational to Higher Secondary Level

This review aims to identify the specific age groups during which math fluency develops, identify the cognitive skills that influence the development of math fluency, and identify the educational strategies and interventions influencing math fluency across various academic stages. The systematic search was conducted using electronic databases such as PubMed, PsycINFO, Taylor and Francis, and Google Scholar from inception to the present. Students aged 6 to 18 years without health or developmental conditions could participate in the review. Of the 3,782 studies, 15 studies were selected with an overall sample size of 7,616, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. One independent reviewer (N. S.) assessed all records for eligibility, based on the titles and abstracts of studies and then the full text. Any discrepancies were resolved by discussion with a second reviewer (S. A.). The findings of this review indicated that math fluency showed developmental progression from late childhood to adolescence and was influenced by cognitive factors such as working memory, inhibition, processing speed, attention, and executive functions. Educational strategies, including repeated practice, strategy-based instruction, technology-assisted learning, and curriculum-aligned fluency interventions, were found to support fluency development. However, substantial methodological heterogeneity across studies limited direct comparisons. Overall, the review highlighted key cognitive and instructional contributors to math fluency and emphasized the need for more standardized and longitudinal research across broad age ranges.