If your child is struggling with learning their times tables, there are several strategies you can use to help them improve their understanding and fluency in multiplication. Here are some steps you can consider:
Practice Regularly: Regular practice is key to mastering times tables. Set aside a specific time each day for practice, and make it a routine. For instance, the car journey to school or on the way home is a great opportunity to practice.
Start with the Basics: Begin with the easier times tables, such as the 2s, 5s, and 10s, before moving on to the more challenging ones.
Break It Down: Break down the larger tables into smaller, more manageable sections. For instance, if your child is struggling with the 7s times tables, focus on learning 7×1, 7×2, 7×3, and so on before trying to memorize the entire table.
Equivalence: Make sure that your child understands that 6×3 is the same as 3×6, that 6 groups of 3 apples will give you the same total as 3 groups of 6 apples.
Make it a competition: Try make learning each times table a fun competition. For example, when they have mastered the 2s then tell them they have completed Level 2. Next target is Level 3 – the 3s times tables and so on.
Real-world Applications: Show your child how multiplication is used in everyday life. For instance, you can use multiplication when cooking, shopping, organizing a party or measuring. Use a birthday party to get your child to help you calculate how many packets of chocolate bars you need to buy. Mars bars come in packs of 5 and we have 20 people coming to the party, how many packs should we buy?
Patience and Positive Reinforcement: Learning multiplication takes time, so be patient and provide plenty of positive reinforcement and encouragement. Don’t force them to learn it or show displeasure when they get multiplications wrong.
Use Peer Learning: Sometimes, children can learn from their peers. If your child has friends who are confident with their times tables, arranging study sessions or friendly competitions can be motivating.
Online Resources: There are numerous online resources, apps, and games designed to help children learn their times tables in an interactive and enjoyable manner.
Hands-on Activities: Engage your child in hands-on activities that involve grouping objects to represent multiplication. This can help them understand the concept in a tangible way. I use cutlery, chopsticks, Pokémon cards and sandcastles with my son to do this.
Use Visual Aids: Visual aids like multiplication charts and number lines can help make the concept of multiplication more concrete and easier to understand. These are readily available to download from the web.
Use Mnemonics: Mnemonics or memory aids can help your child remember certain multiplication facts. For example, for the 9s times tables, you can use a finger trick: hold down the finger representing the number you’re multiplying by 9, and the number of fingers before the held-down finger gives you the tens digit, while the number of fingers after the held-down finger gives you the ones digit. See this 3 min YouTube Video for the trick
Remember that every child learns at their own pace. It’s important to create a supportive and stress-free environment for learning. If you notice persistent struggles or signs of math anxiety, consider reaching out to their teacher or a math tutor for additional support.
As a parent, don’t leave the Times Tables to your child’s teacher alone. Take opportunities to practice from a young age as much as you can. I regularly encounter 13, 14 & 15 year old children who can’t do basic multiplications like 3 x 4 so don’t leave anything to chance – practice makes perfect.
Very insightful information and excellent strategies to explore both at home and in the classroom. Thank you for sharing