Knowledge of the tables up to
twelve and the confidence to recall the multiplication facts is an integral
part of the national mathematics curriculum.
For some children recalling the facts quickly and accurately is
difficult with the consequence that they lose confidence in their maths skills.
The following activities are fun
ways to learn and practise the multiplication tables.
1. Use online interactive activities and
resources, many of which are free.
Traditional games and rhymes can be adapted, for example, play hopscotch
counting 4, 8, 12, etc or sing the multiples of 3 to the tune of jingle
bells.
2 2. Build
arrays. Encourage your child to draw or
build arrays using building bricks, sticky labels or beads. Arrays help children recognise that
multiplication is repeated addition.
3 3. Practice Doubling. Being confident with doubling numbers means
that your child can use this understanding when learning trickier times
tables. If your child can double they
can times any number by four by using the strategy of doubling and doubling
again. For example; to answer 4 x 7 first double 7 which is 14, then double 14
for the final answer of 28. Try throwing a dice to generate numbers to double.
4. Practise the times tables with missing
facts. This can be done by completing 2
x * = 24 type questions but is just as effective if done verbally as well as
drawing diagrams. This activity also
reinforces division facts. For example:
5 5. Make it random. Practising the multiplication tables out of
sequence helps build confidence. This
can be done by selecting a table to focus on and turning over playing cards to
create a sum (use the jack as x11 and the queen as x12 and the king as the
square number).
Short, regular practice, using a
variety of methods and activities to make the learning enjoyable, will support
your child in learning the multiplication tables.
