Year 4, end of year report - times tables poor, how can I help at home?

[sandyballs]

How have others taught their children the times tables? i have been on a couple of websites with the DD's, and also have one of those huge posters up with all the timestables on.

Any ideas/suggestions please?

Also, although perhaps I should start another thread for this. One dd (they are twins) got mostly 3's and a few 4's in last year's report (year 3), this year she only has 3's which makes me think not only has she not progressed, but she has actually gone backwards this year. True or not unusual at this age? Her teacher has been pretty ineffective IMO so wouldn't surprise me if she has gone backwards. DD seems to have lost her drive for learning. I need to reignite it during the hols somehow!

It is hard for children to make much progress beyond a 3c/3b in maths if they don't have good knowledge of their 1-10x tables with related divisions facts.

The trouble with having posters up etc is that many people think this is enough and that the children will somehow learn the tables via osmosis.

The best way to learn them is incredibly boring. Do lots and lots of chanting - then testing, backwards, forwards, out of order. When checking the learning make sure you are checking knowledge of division facts as well e.g 4 x 7 = 28 28 / 4 = 7.
This can be done in the car, when out for a walk etc. 5 mins per day over the holidays will really pay off.

Learning tables is like reading practice. It is one of the things you can do at home with your child that will really make a huge difference to their ability to progress in school.

multiplication.com is a great site

www.bigbrainz.com/

Oh, linking tables also works if you are wondering what order to teach them in
e.g 5s and 10s
2s,4s,8s
3s,6s

7s are hardest to learn and best left until the end when they can use their knowledge of the other tables to work them out.

I am also assuming that if your children are woking at level 3 then they are capable enough at maths. If they were less able then there are many visual aids that can help to ensure the children understand what is happening when they are multiplying. For most children though it is a case of getting down to it and learning them.

They children who have spent time learning (forced to by mum usually)them are always really happy when we come to a topic like area or fraction of number where they are needed. It will pay off.

make the following simple game, it was very successful with my DSDs:

cut up 48 little cards and write numbers 0-12 on them. (I did 4 each of numbers 2-12, 2 each of 0 and 1)

shuffle and lay them all out face down in a grid. DD has to pick up any 2 cards at random and tell you the product (i.e. answer when they are multiplied). they get ONE chance to get it right. if it's right they put the cards in a pile next to them and pick another pair, if it's wrong they turn them back over and choose a different pair. (this discourages guessing instead of actually remembering the answer)

keep going until DD has collected all 48 cards. you can do this every day and time them, so over a few weeks they should see their times improve.

you can also adapt it for 2 players so both twins can play, if they get the answer right they get another go, if not it's the other's go. although this may be a bad idea if one twin is dramatically better than the other!

HTH

Me again!
The website games etc are fab once the children have learnt their tables. They are a great overlearning experience, a fun way to practice and consolidate tables knowledge and a good way to motivate the children into speed recall of tables however they don't actually teach the times tables. The children need to learn them first.

the BBC do some good games for multiplication
www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/numbers/wholenumbers/multiplication/timestables/game.shtml

ICT has some games which explain it with number linesictgames.com/multinumberlines.html

11plusexams.com has online tests that explain it with repeated addition
www.11plusexams.com/times-tables-tests/

topmarks.co.uk has tons of good games
www.topmarks.co.uk/EducationalGames.aspx?cat=9

I've heard the Peter Percy times tables CD rom is good. Or it could be Percy Peter. Something like that anyway!

I agree with mumtoabeautifulbabyboy but you can combine my DIY Kumon approach with MathsMadMummy's card game.

Start the card game with the x2's, then do other activities,(drills, online games etc) using x2's only until DD recalls them easily.

Then move on to the 3's, followed by revising the 2's with the 3's before moving onto the 4's.

You could use the 2's, 4's, 5's and 10's strategy in the same way, but always review the previous facts before moving on.

Thanks so much, this is all very useful

The best way is probably little and often. Get your DC to think of it as something that is just part of daily life and not only belonging to the classroom (true, no?) There are some excellent raps and songs on youtube, which only take a few mins to listen to. Some are interactive in that the child has a chance to say the answer.

I have seen yr 6 children struggle with multiplication facts that they should have mastered 3 or four years earlier, and that's not a great place to be.

For obvious reasons, children who are not secure with their tables will struggle with division and that will put a low ceiling on their mathematical attainment thereafter.

GOOD news is that there have never been more good quality, relevant resources

By rote.