How should my yr 2 dd be learning their x2 tables?

[Imsosorryalan]

My dd has come home this week with a a4 page of x2 sums written in order, then sums mixed up eg. 3x2 / 6x2. She can count in 2's but is finding the sums hard to understand. I'm trying to teach her what that sum means ie counting in 2's 3 times etc or 2+2+2.
I'm getting frustrated. She has no recollection of learning it last week either!
How do you teach x sums? Should she know them formally written already?

Can she chant it, ie one times two is two, two times two etc?

I would get her to chant it for each question until she gets to the one she needs. With enough chanting she should be able to recall the relevant number fact.

I wouldn't bother getting her to understand the "whys" at this stage.

I work in Y2.
We don't teach children to chant or memorise tables; but what they mean and why they are doing it - we teach them to understand the process. Thats far more important than merely memorising. By teaching what is meant by multiplication, what it actually is - that will make division, which comes nest, easier.

So we start with counting in 2s - looking at the patterns on a number square, etc.

Then we move on to "lots of" or groups of." So, 3 lots of 2, 5 groups of 2, etc - and showing it physically using counters, blocks, Smarties, etc.

Thank you hulababy. That's what I've been trying to do. But it seems the class teacher has bypassed this stage and gone straight into sums! It's homework. So thought it should be based on something similar to what they've covered in class but she really has no memory of it. I feel like I'm teaching it to her not revising!

That's not good - maybe have a quick word with teacher to let her know she wasn't sure how to tackle it and you didn't want to show her a different method to school - we have an informal open door policy before school, so how you manage it depends on school's approach to parents seeing teachers.

Homework, if they are going to get any at this early stage, should never be something they don't know how to do.

My dd also y2 doing this. Write out

2
2+2
2+2+2
2+2+2+2
Etc

You can also represent the stuff written above with pairs of smarties or whatever you have.

Then you find the answers to the sums by adding not multiplying (with her) and write the answers by the sums.

Then you look at the sums and say eg look 2+2+2 is 6, how many twos did we have there. She looks at the sum to decide and answers 3 so you say yes three twos are 6 and write 3x2=6 and explain that the x means "that many lots of" 2.

Once got concept, chant the times table until learnt by rote.

I was primary TA / helper for over twenty years.

It is essential children UNDERSTAND what is going on in 'tables' and not just learn it like a 'poem', as then they may not be able to make use of them as maths gets more advanced in later years. (That's why I failed 'O' level maths when I was at grammar school in the '50s! We did things off by heart, but without understanding.)

I'll add below my standard numeracy advice, and I suggest you follow as much as you conveniently can. If you need further clarification, come back sometime.

?QUOTE:

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

UNQUOTE

About half the time ds comes home with maths homework he has no idea how to do. I wish there was less jargon too. I have no real clue what a number bond is tbh. The way they teach them maths seems to overcomplicate things. We still use blocks, or pasta shapes, at home (year 4) which does help a bit.
I will definitely use the columns of lego idea Ferguson.
Mostly, ds maths homework gives me the rage, as the way the questions are posed makes no sense to either of us. I wish someone would come up with way of teaching maths to language oriented people, and then teach me some!

I feel your pain OP, is what I meant

Both mine have started counting in 2s in Reception and I thought it was now part of the EYFS, definitely DD1 who is now in Yr2 did it again in Yr1 so it could be that she HAS done it before but last year which is why she can't remember it.

At DD's school they don't want children to chant the times tables; they want children to be able to recall facts instantly and using a variety of mathematical terms. So for the 2x tables the questions would be something like:

2 x 4 =
14 shared by 2 =
Product of 8 and 2 =
20 divided by 2 =
0 x 2 =
6 lots of 2 =

etc.

I have to say DD is Year 3, but she did this in Year 2. She also did counting in 2, 5 and 10s in reception.

Thank you esp ferguson! I'm going to do it like this. It doesn't help that my dd is a very visual learner and it seems there is no provision/time for this in her class, which also seems to be a very able class. I'm hoping she isn't going to be left behind.
I also learnt my tables by rote without actually understanding them and I'm crap at maths too
I will keep plugging though, and I'm now feeling like going in to have a word with the teacher as to whether they have actually covered this or not

Does she know doubles? DD3 grasped quite early on that x by 2 gives the same answer as doubling.

If she is visual you could try collecting some conkers and doing 2x with them. My y2 dd had a lot of fun with this,