Times tables - the basics

[IamBitzyVonMuffling]

My DS in Y3 is really struggling with Maths this year. I think that the problem stems from the fact that he has never properly got to grips with times tables. He knows 2's and understands doubling but loses it after that. He can have a guess at them but mostly gets them wrong and he still doesn't get the theory I think. The class has now moved on to division and he's lost. Any advice for going right back to basics and helping him to get his head around it please?

My son is yr4 and we are struggling with his timetables too :(

Just work your way through them

Get him to write them out and then test him for a few minutes each day. One at a time. So start with 3s. Or fives or tens.

I think going over and over them and memorize them if he can't work it out.

It's drill work. Sing them, recite them, write them out. Takes a while but makes a big difference.

Start with 2,5,10 and learn the multiplication and division facts. So he needs to know that 2x5=10 5x2=10 10/5=2 10/2=5 essentially there are 4 ' number sentences' for each one.

There are so many brilliant resources on the internet- times table rock stars is great.

If he's struggling it might be worth trying to get him to represent them with physical objects so he understands the concepts- pom-poms, buttons, counters etc. He'll be able to understand the abstract nature of times tables more if he can relate it to a physical or visual ( dots for example) representation!

Don't worry lots of children struggle with this. You are right in that once they understand their times tables then all other maths becomes a lot easier. Good luck!

You've just got to learn them. He might learn them more easily by reading them or by hearing them depending on what kind of learner he is. There are countless resources out there to help.

It is practice, practice, practice but some children are overwhelmed by the quantity they have to learn. I really like this which shows that when they've learnt x2, x5 and x10 there are only 21 new facts to learn. old.kangaroomaths.co.uk/free_resources/display/21_table_facts.docx

I bought a times tables Orchard game today for my year 3 boy. Haven't played it yet but hoping it might make learning them more fun.

Maybe get an app like times table rock star. It’s basically practising them over and over again so they remember them.

Contrary to some of the other advice, I would focus on making sure he really understands the concept behind multiplication before memorising the tables.

So get hold of something you have lots of (Lego bricks, Pom poms, buttons. Get him to make a group of 4. Repeat twice so he has 3 groups of 4. Count each group, so he is confident there is 4 in each 'pot'.

Then count them all together, so he knows there are 12 in total. Gather the 12 together, and practice dividing them into 3 groups (4 in a group) and 4 groups (3 in a group). This will help him cement the 'multiplication family'.

Best app is Squeebles. It is silly and fun and teaches them to learn them rote and tests them and they can win silly contests. I still send mine back to refresh the 6/7/8 regularly. You can also see where he is struggling in the stats section really rate it. TTRS is okaaay but only once they have learnt them. Another tip is to get a big times table poster and let him use it when doing the sums. You can wean him off it gradually but it’s better to find and use the right answer than to guess and get it wrong and be demoralised. That was a great tip I got here and really helped my DD who was suffering by comparing herself to her much more maths switched on twin.

Another tip for practising the division side is to draw "arrays" so if he needs to find 20/4, he would draw 4 dots in a row, then continue to add rows of 4 until there are 20 dots altogether (count out loud as he makes the dots)

You will have 5 rows of dots.

If you go on you tube there are x table songs which are really catchy so you can sing along. My school have used them and the children love them. In tests at school I have heard the children whisper sing the song when they are working out the answer!

I'd second @strawberrie 's post.

Start with concrete groups, in 'arrays'. Write the facts.

Then get a hundred square or a number line and 'jump' in, say 3s or 4s.

Then learn by rote/get a game to repeat and reinforce.

I'd second Strawberries too. Lego is a great tool, you can visualise multiplication using each pieces.
If he is struggling with maths, just memorising times table without understanding the concept may put him into further difficulty in the future.

We bought times tables place mats and played with them at mealtimes-really exaggerating the rote chants (four fours are siiiixxxteen!) so they ‘knew’ most of their tables before they really understood the detailed theory behind them. We refer to it as ‘the numbskulls’-the numbskulls hold a body of knowledge including tt’s and leave the conscious mind to do the complex stuff!

Yes to understanding what times tables actually mean.
I use to pick 5 random times tables sums, then at bedtime every night went over them until he knew them. Made it into a game, saying them in a silly way, or giving clues like 'the number of our house', or asking an easy one then a 'stinker'. Then picked another random five but still threw in some of others to remind him. It takes months! But he got there.

Another vote for ensuring he really understands what they are - repeated addition; adding the same number again and again.

If he knows 2s that's great! 10s next, 10s are easy and then 5s.

I taught my DS to leave them by counting in 2/10/5s whatever until you get fast at it.

So practise (take turns) l: 2.4.6.8.10.12 etc. Once able to say the set comfortably and easily start to question - what's 4 x 2? It's "2,4,5,8 - 8" whilst counting on fingers. Over time it will come quicker - my DS (also Y3) now has instant recall on times tables up to 12 x 12 - actually better than me and I have a maths degree 😂

@MoneySuperMeerkat

If he knows 2s that's great! 10s next, 10s are easy and then 5s.

I taught my DS to leave them by counting in 2/10/5s whatever until you get fast at it.

So practise (take turns) l: 2.4.6.8.10.12 etc. Once able to say the set comfortably and easily start to question - what's 4 x 2? It's "2,4,5,8 - 8" whilst counting on fingers. Over time it will come quicker - my DS (also Y3) now has instant recall on times tables up to 12 x 12 - actually better than me and I have a maths degree 😂

Obviously I meant "2,4,6,8" above

Another vote for ensuring he really does understand the concept. Some of the advice 'to just learn them' is really not good.

Numberblocks is GREAT at visually representing things like this - it will be slightly young for him but if he can see past that it might really help, it's on Cbeebies - I'd google to find out which episodes cover tables well.

My dd has the same issue. Her teacher recommended hit the button online. It’s free, simple and she loves it. It very quickly helped solidify her 3 x table. You can choose which one to focus on, so you can firm the 2x and 5x and then move on to 3 before going on to others.

Learn tables rote. Sing them at every available opportunity. Play them in the car or at home instead of pop music. Make a pairs card game. Embed those tables but at the same time teach the concept. Put a poster in the lavatory.

Use a button box, cooking, counters, smarties. Play games. Talk mathematics at all times. Lay the tables mathematically, find number patterns in everything, but without labouring to the point he feels he has to achieve to please you. Play tables bingo. Use jumping games around the garden (jump three spaces shout out three. Jump two lots of three and shout out six etc). Children like jumping and shouting.

Reward learning. Small chunks. Test him every three days on one table whilst he’s home learning mainly, make it an accepted routine. Don’t move on to testing the next until that one is learned. Start with the easy ones -2, 5, 10, 11. Have fun with the patterns.

I guess mainly don’t leave maths to a school worksheet. Embed it in everything.

Some brilliant advice here thank you everyone. We will keep plugging away and he is lego crazy so we can def try doing something with that. Thanks everyone

Math flash is a good app that allows practice and lots of games as well.

As others have said he should start with 2, 5, and 10s which should be easy as his school should have been teaching him to count in steps of 2, 5 and 10 in reception and year 1.

Also, you should explain multiplication is repeated addition. Show it with blocks / physical objects. You can also reinforce the explanation with the NumberBlocks episodes on BBC player in season 4 that cover multiplication. The BBC teach videos at the links below are also pretty good. Memorising times tables is drill work but the conceptual understanding needs to be the foundation, particularly so he grasps the relationship with division.