Times table and 6yo PLEASE HELP!

[BejeweledCrocs]

Hello my home learning 6yo is struggling with times table. I feel useless because I have no idea how to help. DC has gone from being really maths confident to upset and tearful when it comes up.

They did 2 times table and he can count up in twos no problem. But he had no idea what I am on about if I say "6 x 2", its as if it is totally separate concept for him. So we will count in 2s up to 6 fingers, but I dont think he gets the link.

I asked teacher what we are aiming for e.g. is it to recite until you just know it, is it enough that he can count in twos. She didnt help though, just said "keep at it he will get there."

Now after two weeks of 2 times table we were told we would learn 5 times table. But I'm not sure HOW. They did some counting in fives, but we have the same issue of him not knowing what you mean when you ask a question about x5.

I dont mind that he doesnt know it. He's only 6 after all. But I dont understand how they want him to get to the point of knowing, so I cant help him get there. Do we chant them? Do I keep asking random questions? I bought flash cards etc but dont know if they are helping..

Any advice really appreciated! I feel like I am letting him down.

Don't sweat it! He'll get there.

For helping with the abstract concept get lego, pasta, whatever and use that to model 2 groups of 2, 3 groups of 2 etc. Lots of repetition and fun. How many groups do I have? Make me five groups of 2. He doesn't have to answer all the time, just to play along with you. Model by counting and (faking!) Enjoying yourself.

Tines tables rock stars is a great app to help with lots of fast paced repition. Set it as he only does 2s and 5s and get him to do 5 min a day.

Get some counters, or pasta shapes or whatever, and put them in groups of two as he counts up. So while he is counting him up in 2s, let him create another group of two each time. Ask him how many groups of 2 he has so far etc.
Make it as visual and 'real' as you can.

Snap!

Oooh yes @ItsLoisSangersFault you've made me think I could use his beloved trains - put 2 lego people in x carriages etc!

Will check out the app thanks!

I agree with the above posters - you need to show him concrete examples using counters or Lego or similar.
I see this all the time at school, children who can reel of times tables from memory on demand, but have no concept or understanding of what they actually mean.
Simply regurgitating times tables by rote is just a memory game and there is often no understanding of the concept.
Rather than learning to count in 5’s as “5,10,15,20”... etc, teach him the long winded version “1x5=5, 2x5=10” and physically show him groups of 5 counters as he recites them. So one group of 5 counters is 5, 2 groups of 5 counters is 10, etc.
Hopefully this will help!

It'd use physical objects e.g. pieces of lego or whatever until he gets to concept. Start with showing that 2 groups of 6 is the same as 6 groups of 2. Let him move the objects round to prove it, and give loads of praise.

Then I'd use objects to show how counting in 2s is the same as adding a group of two, to try and get the connection between counting in 2s and the 2 times table. Then go with 5s.

There's no point in memorising times tables without dc grasping the concepts. He will get there!

Use sweets. They soon grasp the concept that multiplying = more sweets!

You also need to use all the variations of the wording, so he knows 6 groups of 2 is the same as 6x2, is the same as 2+2+2+2+2+2 etc

Thanks everyone. I definitely need to do the physical object explanation. Think I will search youtube for inspiration and buy a big bag of jelly babies!

Go onto YouTube and search for hopscotch 2s song. There are also songs for the other times tables. (Plus oceans, continents, planets, water cycle etc)

They are really catchy songs and playing them in the background while he draws, eats, gets dressed etc will help a lot.

Please don’t worry about this- my 8 year old really struggled with his tables, but recently he has just started to ‘get it’. Have a look at Mr.DeMaio on YouTube, he uses well known songs to recite the tables and they’re really catchy and I know this method definitely helped my son. Also look at Top Marks maths games, there’s lots of good multiplication games on there 😊

Thanks again everyone

I found this resource with ideas of explaining the concept. I think sweets in a muffin tin or 12 egg box might help. At least then he might start getting his head around why he is chanting these numbers!

You could check out Twinkl for some stuff. There is some free stuff on there or you can pay for 1 month and have access to everything. They will have loads of times tables stuff. Lots of visual representations / questions etc.

You can teach x’s tables by arrays ( 2x groups of 6 objects. Or 6x groups of 2 objects - it’s good to point out they both equal the same) or with multiple addition - which it sounds like you are doing - adding on 2 each time. This can be shown as jumps on a number line - jump 2 each time and see where you land / how many jumps have you done etc. Twinkl will have stuff for both ways. Also check out white rose maths. They will have some stuff.

With my DC I used to play a tape in the car (quite a while ago!) going to and from school. It worked really well. The teacher at school was not impressed as she believed you had to understand number patterns. I think learning by rote works best. I even finished learning the times tables myself as I was never quite sure of the 7's and 8's. It was all sing-song to a catchy tune.

Also you can do things like if he is playing with cars / teddies etc you can create 2 x ‘zones’ ( garages / cardboard boxes / washing baskets / masking tape a circle on the floor etc) and put the same amount of toys in each one & talk about etc.

Use pairs of socks to explain groups of 2, gloves/5ps for 5, 10ps for 10s etc.
Or lego blocks of 2, 4, 6 etc.
The groups need to be 'fixed' for him to be able to link the idea of groups.