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Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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Original poster

A-Level Project Research

33 replies

travellotty · 16/07/2021 12:01

I am a computer science A-Level Student, looking to do some research for my programming project. Do you have a child that has not yet started school, and are you teaching them their times' tables? If so, how are you teaching them and what are the problems with this system?

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DappledThings · 16/07/2021 22:57

I have one at school and one not started yet. I wouldn't have a clue how to teach the pre-schooler times tables and I don’t know anyone who has done so.

Opalfeet · 16/07/2021 23:09

What @DappledThings said

hedgehogger1 · 16/07/2021 23:11

Times tables would only be for genius preschoolers. Think you might need a rethink

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MistyFrequencies · 16/07/2021 23:19

I don't actively teach her them but when it comes up in daily life we talk about it. Like her and her brother had 10 crisps each today and she counted them all, got 20 and I said "yes because 10 x 2 =20”. Theres no flaw to this system as I don't care if she learns them or not, it's just learning through life.

BackforGood · 16/07/2021 23:46

Another who is not sure why anyone would be thinking about 'teaching times tables' to pre-schoolers.

TheAussieProject · 17/07/2021 02:41

Memorising time tables and understanding time tables are two completely different things.
Times tables are struck linked to addition so 4x6 is 6+6+6+6 and this understanding is fundamental for fractions, factorising and other very important mathematical concepts.

So either link the « addition» part into your project or move the age bracket. Parroting a time table has no benefit except to impress guests at a dinner party.

Think about grouping or patterns as an alternative project

FartnissEverbeans · 17/07/2021 19:36

Times tables is not developmentally appropriate for a preschooler. My son is in FS1 and we’re just working on counting! Today he called 14 ‘one-ty four’

Good luck with your project but maybe you should look at older kids?

Greenwateringcan · 17/07/2021 19:37

Times tables at preschool?!

RampantIvy · 17/07/2021 19:39

I'm assuming that this is an NEA?

What A level subject is this for?

FartnissEverbeans · 17/07/2021 19:48

@RampantIvy She says computer science

RampantIvy · 17/07/2021 19:56

BertieBotts · 17/07/2021 20:07

If you look at the national curriculum times tables are not even introduced until year 2, not completing them until year 4. These are 7-10 year olds so trying to teach them to preschoolers seems completely barmy.

Pre-school number expectations are more like counting to 10 and recognising numbers up to 5.

You can easily look this up by googling national curriculum. The curriculum for pre-school and reception chidren is called EYFS.

So to answer your question, yes I do, and no I am not. We talk about numbers in everyday life for example counting things or looking for a number on a bus we need to catch. He wouldn't understand multiplication yet.

blinkthreetimes · 17/07/2021 20:09

Teaching them before they start school would actually have the adverse affect.

It’s like trying to run before you can walk.

It shouldn’t happen

Dollpiglet · 17/07/2021 20:12

I'd feel sorry for a preschooler being taught times tables. They should be stealing sudacream tubs and smearing the TV with it at that age.

motherofsnortpigs · 17/07/2021 20:15

@Dollpiglet 😂😂
That’s way further up the list of ‘Under 5’s Bingo’

motherofsnortpigs · 17/07/2021 20:17

I have a DD who has just completed Y10. She doesn’t know any timetables. She is predicted a 9 for GCSE maths. She smeared sudocream on her shoes and went for a walk around he house when she was 2.

Chocolatetrifle · 17/07/2021 21:55

We have a times table poster, that's all. Preschool child would have no idea how to do times tables. We are working on number recognition 11 to 20 with almost 4 year old. No way on earth are preschool children expected to learn times tables, sorry but this made me chuckle.

johnd2 · 17/07/2021 22:02

Just to try to give an alternative answer, one option is to give those strips of beads and visualise them as rectangles, but even that would be optimistic for preschool. The drawback would just be that it's a lot of work until they get the concept.

RampantIvy · 17/07/2021 22:26

I have a DD who has just completed Y10. She doesn’t know any timetables. She is predicted a 9 for GCSE maths

How has she managed to get to year 10 not knowing her tables?

LunaAndHer3Stars · 17/07/2021 22:41

My then preschooler middle DS worked out some basic times tables by himself. 2 times, 3 times, 4 times, 10 times but only in the lower numbers like 3 × 1/2/3/4/5. He asked lots of questions about maths and figured them out for himself. He's Autistic, 2-3 years ahead in maths concepts, can't read in first year of school. Maths is his thing.

I'd never try to teach times tables to a 4-5 year old. You need a different project. At that age maybe ways of teaching counting or letter recognition or number recognition or 1-1 number association. The last might have a different name in UK, it's recognising that the numbers can be associated with real physical objects

BertieBotts · 17/07/2021 22:42

I didn't know my tables when I got an A in GCSE maths! Well not all of them. Obviously I knew 10 / 5 / 2 etc. I tend to struggle with 4, 6, 7, 8. 9 I only know from that "trick" of 8x = 8-1 = 7 and 7+2 is 9 so it's 72.

I can just work them out quickly enough that it doesn't matter, I've always struggled to rote learn things and it's never been a problem.

TotorosCatBus · 17/07/2021 23:51

@motherofsnortpigs

I have a DD who has just completed Y10. She doesn’t know any timetables. She is predicted a 9 for GCSE maths. She smeared sudocream on her shoes and went for a walk around he house when she was 2.

I can do one better. My dd doesn't know her tables but is predicted an A in A-level maths this summer Anecdotally I've had more than one primary school teacher confess that they don't know their tables in an instant but can work them out quickly (which is how my dd can pass exams) so not to worry.

DelphiniumBlue · 17/07/2021 23:56

@FartnissEverbeans

Times tables is not developmentally appropriate for a preschooler. My son is in FS1 and we’re just working on counting! Today he called 14 ‘one-ty four’

Good luck with your project but maybe you should look at older kids?

That's fab, "one-ty four" shows he understands the concept, and is making a connection between 14/24/34 etc.

cariadlet · 18/07/2021 00:02

Why on earth would anyone want to teach times tables to pre-schoolers?

I do think that they're very useful for older children as they help to avoid overloading the working memory. Some of the children in my year 5 class have found new skills and concepts such as long division, long multiplication and adding fractions with different denominators quite tricky.

The ones that have really struggled are those that don't know their timetables. They have to hold an unfamiliar method in their head and pause at each step to work out the relevant multiplication. Those who know the times table facts can work through a calculation much more smoothly because they are only having to remember the method and can move from one step to the next without disruption to their thought processes.

AyyX · 18/07/2021 05:32

My 19month old is counting atm
She can either count 1-10 guided or 5-10 very confidently. Teaching times tables at preschool? That’s very early.

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