Times Tables - when do they start?

[eshermum101]

What year do children start doing times tables? DS1 is in yr 2 (he turns 7 this school year and it is his 3rd year at school) and they are only doing 2, 5 and 10 times tables......I seem to remember doing all my times tables by the end of yr 2 when I was a kid, so this seems a little bit slack (but then again, things seemed to have changed a lot since I was a kid!!!)

What are other people's experiences?

The expectation is that children know the 2,5 and 10 times tables by the end of Y2 but there is nothing to stop them learning/teaching more. Most of my class know 2-12 times tables.
I certainly didn't learn all my tables as an infant but I suspect I am older than you.

As mrz says. dd1 is in Y2 and knows 2, 5 and 10, 11 because its easy, and bits of others (on a good day )

I didn't know mine in infants either, but I am almost certainly older than mrz!

DS is in year 2. I help in his class specifically with times tables. They have all done 2,5 and 10 and others more. Think some have done 3,4,6,8 although quite a few know the trick with 9 and like to tell me about it :) I generally pretend ignorance.

I bet you're not [Ancient smiley]

DD is expected to know all her tables to 12 by the end of yr 2. I'm not sure if every child has the same target.

I did know mine from infants (more or less, they were certainly taught, but for some reason I never, ever became automatic on 6s and 8s).

Perhaps I'm older than you both.

It will vary from child to child. Some of my year 2s know 2, 3, 4, 5 & 10 already and will start 6s next term. Some are still working on ordering numbers to 20, so times tables is too much for them at the moment. Also it is important if the children understand the concept not just chant the tables.

Primary 3 here, which is age 7. They start with 2, 5 and 10. They moved to the others in Primary 4 (age 8) and 5 (age 9). They are expected to know them in Primary 5.

mrz and meditrina: far be it from me to have a 'who is the oldest' competition

I'm quite happy to let you both beat me.

But very much doubt you do (circa 1960)

DD moans that they only do work generally in class with 2, 5 and 10 x table. I have told her that this is the requirement for yr2 but the fact that she knows the others almost completely will stand her in good stead later on.

Very interested to see this. DD is in yr 4 and only knows 2, 5 and 10 reliably, plus 3 & 4 to some extent.

She was assessed as level 3 in maths at end of yr 2, and generally is strong on numbers, but they don't seem to do tables at all.
We've just started practicing them at home, but its a struggle as she's not been asked to do it for school, IYKWIM.

I was talking with another parent whose child is in yr 5, and we both felt that we wished they had tables to learn as homework and not endless 'write 12 pages about random topic' projects where we are expected to help. (I know we're meant to help, as I pointed out to the teacher that dd had no idea where to start, and she suggested that I do so . . . )

Was wondering if tables - like spelling lists - are now considered passé, but I guess not!

DD is doing them (2, 5, 10) in Y1 here, though she is top math table, so I would imagine not all of them are doing them.

Times tables and number bonds are crucial, Takver, IMO; DD1 still struggles with some aspects of maths because her memory of them is poor (see lovecheese's numerous threads re this) so we are making damn sure that dd2 knows them inside out - it also helps that she loves maths and retains them much more easily. Do 5 minutes a day, verbally or written down, fit it in on car journeys, over tea, wherever you can, invaluable IMO.

We have adopted Big Maths which involves "Learn It's" - number facts which are learnt so well that they can be instantly recalled and includes all the 1 digit plus 1 digit addition and 1 digit by 1 digit multiplication products.

Patricia yes they were in year 1 but expected to be spot-on with X and '/. in year 2, and this is for all of them.

Our teacher in Y4 used to say we didn't know our tables until we could stand on a chair and say them backwards! Couldn't do it now (elf and safety), but the premise still stands.

[70s emoticon]

She also held general knowledge quizzes every Friday and taught every single child how to play chess.

Makes note to self - re children standing on chairs I'm afraid we do allow children to stand on chairs, climb ladders and other high places.
I use Percy Parker Xtables and one of the songs is "can you do it backwards?"
I give my class 50 mixed up times tables calculations to complete in 5 mins as a daily warm up ... seems to work. They also get 40 mixed addition and multiplication questions to answer in 90 seconds to develop instant recall of number facts each week (Reception have 7 addition facts in 20 seconds -Y5 & 6 have 100 seconds to complete 72) the idea is to beat your own personal best each week.

too late really, in answer to the op

we leave it to an age when they find rote learning boring

pretty stupid really

I am sure we didn't start them until 4th grade (age 9-10) when I were a young'un (1970s). I think it's amazing that DC are learning as young as 6yo.

Another one here doing 2,5,10 tims tables in yr 1, she is in the top group in her year but i think the whole class do them?

DS Yr 1 knew 2,5,10 by Christmas this year. No progress on to anything harder yet.

As far as I know the whole class is all at a similar level.

Sorry that should have been Christmas last year

We used to have our 12s by the end of Y4, latest. Instant recall was the aim.

I think its 2's 5's and 10's for year 2 then 3's 4's and 6's for year 3, the rest up to 10 in year 4 so that they know them all before they begin year 5.