Learning times tables

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I'm sure it's been done to death, but I'm after some top tips to help my Y2 DS memorise his times tables. 2x, 5x and 10x are all secure. He's working on 3x, 4x and 6x and they are not sticking so well. We should have been working on them more than a term ago, but he became distressed when I tried to help/test him on them at that time and I backed off and told him that when he was ready he should come and ask me for help again. There were good personal reasons for taking this softly softly approach and it has worked, because just last week DS became aware that others in his class were better/quicker than him when using times tables. He has asked for help and is enthusiastic and determined.

So apart from reciting them rote style over and over, and then randomly asking him different tables what else can I do. We have Percy Parker downloaded to listen to as well. Are there good apps to help? How did you help your DCs? And how do you get the numbers to stick in the mind? FWIW I had terrible trouble with tables at school and still get the fear thinking about them now (though I don't let on to DS and try to make it fun for him.

As well as songs from Percy Parker to help them stick, I would suggest working out which individual facts he knows and which he doesn't. Does he realise that if he knows 6x5 he also knows 5x6? Can he use his knowledge of 2 x table to help with 4 x table? Similarly can he use 3x to help him with 6x.
Rather than learning a whole times table, when you know which individual times table number facts he doesn't know well, pick one new one a day to learn, while quickly revising ones from previous days that he does know.

My DD is a visual learner (as am I), so I found that playing games worked best for her. I saw this lotto below but it didn't have all the facts. So I made my own version - two boards/set of multiplications she was learning on A4 card paper and cut up the multiplication facts.

Then we took turns to see how fills the board faster. My DD loved to win. Initially she needed a multiplication tablemat to check her answers but very quickly memorized them.

Then I'd make the next board with other facts she was learning. And eventually we played mixing up all the boards and facts.

www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Board-Games-138-Tables/dp/B0019R5Z3K/ref=sr_1_1?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1399409301&sr=1-1&keywords=multiplication+lotto

www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Wigwam-Multiplication-Tables-Placemat/dp/6002582193/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1399410221&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=multiplication+tablemat

dd1 found Squeebles and went from moaning and groaning over tables to knowing them all backwards after a few weeks - she was Y3 at the time, iirc.

dd2 (Y2) OTOH, loves singing and knows all the Percy Parker songs. Which does lead to quick under the breath snatches of songs in midst working-out, but was a fantastic start.

We also bounce on our trampoline whilst I shout out '7 x 3?' etc and the dds bounce and shout the answers. For some reason, combining physical activity with tables seems to work wonders - probably gets their frustration at having to do boring tables and turns it into high spirits and exhilaration

Actually, re-reading your post, and if you have an iPad, I would try Squeebles. Or even Maths Pop.

for visual learners, you might try the Times Table Clock app for the actual learning, and then some of the others like Squeebles for the testing/speeding up phase.

Try using a ruler to measure out strips of coloured paper. (3 cm long for 3x, 4cm long for 4x etc). Use 2 contrasting colours for each table and carefully help dc tape them so that they actually measure (in cm) accurately. This also helps with their sense of number, ratio and proportion and of course reckoning in cm, metres too if you extend them to be longer. Can be a lot of fun to make.

Use the tapes to measure things around the house and also see how many 3s, 4s etc these lengths are made up of.

Yiu can also take the lengths up in strips to get an idea of area.

This is my standard information to help with number concepts and tables:

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Practical things are best for grasping number concepts - bricks, Lego, beads, counters, money, shapes, weights, measuring, cooking.

Do adding, taking away, multiplication (repeated addition), division (sharing), using REAL OBJECTS as just 'numbers' can be too abstract for some children.

Number Bonds of Ten forms the basis of much maths work, so try to learn them. Using Lego or something similar, use a LOT of bricks (of just TWO colours, if you have enough) lay them out so the pattern can be seen of one colour INCREASING while the other colour DECREASES. Lay them down, or build up like steps.

So:

ten of one colour none of other
nine of one colour one of other
eight of one colour two of other
seven of one colour three of other

etc, etc

then of course, the sides are equal at 5 and 5; after which the colours 'swap over' as to increasing/decreasing.

To learn TABLES, do them in groups that have a relationship, thus:

x2, x4, x8

x3, x6, x12

5 and 10 are easy

7 and 9 are rather harder.

Starting with TWO times TABLE, I always say: "Imagine the class is lining up in pairs; each child will have a partner, if there is an EVEN number in the class. If one child is left without a partner, then the number is ODD, because an odd one is left out."

Use Lego bricks again, lay them out in a column of 2 wide to learn 2x table. Go half way down the column, and move half the bricks up, so that now the column is 4 bricks wide. That gives the start of 4x table.

Then do similar things with 3x and 6x.

With 5x, try and count in 'fives', and notice the relationship with 'ten' - they will alternate, ending in 5 then 10.

It is important to try and UNDERSTAND the relationships between numbers, and not just learn them 'by rote'.

I am sorry it seems complicated trying to explain these concepts, but using Lego or counters should make understanding easier.

An inexpensive solar powered calculator (no battery to run out!) can help learn tables by 'repeated addition'. So: enter 2+2 and press = to give 4. KEEP PRESSING = and it should add on 2 each time, giving 2 times table.

There are good web sites, which can be fun to use :

www.ictgames.com/

www.resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/index.html

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