Help with timetables (possible dyslexia)

[Lndnmummy]

Hi All. My ds in aY4 will need a time table test in the next week or so. Even though government has scrapped the tests due to covid the school decided to do one anyway (and it will form part of the attainment assessments for Maths). We only found this out before half term and the test is next week. I’m really cross as I was told we didn’t have to pressure the children. Now we are being told about this uturn with a week to spare! If I’d known back in February we would have had more time! Poor kids.
Anyway. I need a miracle. Any advice? Working memory is an issue especially if under stress/pressure.

Just learn the easy ones. 0,1, 2,5,10. Make sure he knows 5x2=2x5.
If he can do those then the squares.

Do you get to see the test? If you do “re-mark” it for the ones you trained with him and if he got a good mark, reward him. Praise for doing his best etc.

Oh, and tell him to look through the test for the ones he knows. DS would always stop at the first question he didn't know and leave the rest blank!

Great advice thank you! I dread all these things that make him come out and feel so disheartened and disappointed. Thanks again for your advice!

My daughter is in year 3 and also has dyslexia. Working memory with her is dreadful. Have managed to get her to learn timetables by rote. Literally 1x2 is 2, 2x2 is 4 and so on. Over and over and over and over as infinitum.

www.mymathtables.com/tips-and-tricks/3-steps-fingers-9-times-table.html

We used maths rockx as its tintables to tunes. Dont think its available anymore but loads on you tube with times table to music. I actually learned my time tables with the kids!

And remind him to turn them round to 5 x 9 is same as 9 x 5

Don’t put him under any stress. There is no consequence if he doesn’t do well for schools or individuals. The school may look to support some children further in yr5 who don’t know them because it does help them moving forward if they have w good working knowledge. Just practise those he knows some of and increase his confidence. Little and often helps. Sometimes going through a times table grid and showing how many he does know helps to see how few he has to learn... eg if he knows 2,5,10s he already knows a significant number of 3,4,6,7,8,9 etc

Thanks so much everyone

Really grateful for all the tips. So if a child gets “below” in attainment for a subject at primary does that impact their chances of getting good grades at secondary (and beyond). Thanks again everyone. (I’m not from the UK so a little unfamiliar with the system as well as the consequences of not being “where you need to be”.

Timestables.co.uk is free, you can focus on each times table at a time, print off worksheets or do interactive games on it to earn trophies (or just for fun) and there is a page on it somewhere that replicates the Times Table Check they will actually do so that it seems a bit more familiar and less scary.

But ultimately, don't worry. The check is a way of pressuring schools to get children knowing times tables by heart before Y5, when they need that knowledge to be able to work with long multiplication etc. Whether your child passes or not has zero impact on them, other than the fact that everyone will be aware that eg they need more support with x6s. Think of it like the Y1 phonics check, it's to pressure schools into prioritizing that aspect of learning and to help them identify gaps where your child needs support. That's it.

Test or not, secure knowledge of times tables is absolutely vital to successfully access year five maths content.
The test is optional this year but may be used to challenge children to work on tables in preparation for next school year.
If a child doesn’t perform well in times table test that will signal that the child will need support to learn them all before being able to successfully complete more challenging content.

My dsis is dyslexic and doesn't know her timetables in her head.
She has maths qualifications going up to university level and an engineering degree.

As a dyslexic I have never managed mental maths but I have enough maths qualifications to do what I want in life.

I would focus on getting a formal diagnosis for dyslexia or similar so adjustments can be made in exams.
It may also help him retain his self confidence as he struggles with things others find reasonably easy.

Tell him times tables don’t matter. People with certain LDs just can’t learn them by rote so why force it? DS is in Y5 and is allowed a time table crib sheet as he really struggles with them. Apart from that he’s working on Y8/Y9 maths.
Honestly passing a times table test is not the be all and end all. Tell him it’s just so the teachers know which kids still need a bit more help, not a pass/fail judgement on the kids.

I teach year 5 and we practise times tables twice a day 4 times a week (not on Fridays because that's our weekly times tables test). We've been doing this all year and there are still children who aren't fluent in all the tables so I really wouldn't worry about it.

My DD is in year 3 and dyslexic... we listen to times tables songs on you tube which really helps. Ask school about the possibility of having someone read and scribe and extra time

My dd is doing the same at school in the next couple of weeks. There is absolutely no consequence if they don't do 'well' - other than the school plan to put in place extra assistance for those who need it. My dd plays Timestables Rockstars which is good for speed and accuracy and we also have timestables songs - ask Alexa to play the 7 times tables etc 😂

Don't pressure your son but no harm in practising. If school identify him as needing support then they should put that in place. There is no other consequence.

I'm in my 50s, I'm doing an OU maths degree, I do not know my tables.

The odd ones I do know I still have to work out because I don't trust something that is just repetition. I'm dyslexic too.

At his age I thought it didn't matter because I could count in 5s, 10s, 2s.

Thanks again everyone for your reassurance. And of course we are going to practices. It’s just that it’s a battle and a half, he feels so low in confidence that he does everything to avoid fit. I’ve said to him that we are not going to worry about the test but that we are going to have a family challenge to master all time tables before September when he starts year 5. I said he is not on his own and if we will all do it together over the next few months. We downloaded some apps, some songs, bought a time table game etc. We are going to do 10 min practice with a timer before bed every night as family. I thought that perhaps it helps his confidence if it’s a family mission. We did similar with his reading last year and he is a fluent reader now so that worked. He seemed to feel better about it. I tried to reassure that the main thing is that he learns them for life, not for this particular test. I started this evening with 1,2,10,11 and he was pretty confident with those that made him feel better. Thanks again for all your advice.