Times tables

[WonderWoman30]

Whats the best way to teach times tables to kids that are a bit behind and find it hard to remember?

What age?
My DS school seems to be behind compared to other children his age in other school.
I got him a workbook and hes doing a page a day (12 sums) of that. For him, the repetitiveness is really helping him to improve.

Top Marks have some good games like Hit the Button- lots of others too that I can't remember

Which workbook is best?

My girls loved this game ttrockstars.com

Andrew Brodie mental maths books and apps were also good. Not sure if there's a specific times tables one.

It's all about regular and repetitive practising. Times tables require memorising rather than "learning" so that a child achieves automaticity in their recall of them. There are several useful techniques but the key thing is ensuring regular opportunities for recalling and repeating them.

There are sites like TTRockstars that would help with this: putting aside 10-20 minutes a day for rehearsing multiplication facts would yeld quick results. But they don't necessarily help acquire the times tables in the first place. For that, I like the clock method.

The clock method is drawing a clock on a whiteboard / paper, deciding on the focus times table and then, around the outside, writing the associated times table facts. For example, if looking at the 6 times table, you'd write 6 next to the 1 of the clock, 12 next to the 2, 18 next to the 3 etc.
You then point at a times table at random, saying, for example, "6 x 3" with your child reading and responded with the right answer. Once he/she has answered that specific question correctly a few times and is more confident, you remove the answer from the clock. You still ask the question but the child has to recall the answer rather than read it.

DS has the workbook 'multi-digit multiplication'.

I chose this one because it has the gridlines so helps him to keep everything clear and organised and not get mixed up. Theres also one before this if your DC is younger.

We practice them on car journeys. Start with 2 x table and then 10 then 5. Sing from 1x2 through to 12 x2 all together then arrested pick a number randomly such as 6 x2. If the kids know if then I pick another one, I don’t then I spend the day/week randomly asking them what is 6 x 2 on every car journey. Keep going till they can remember all their 2 x table in random order and then move onto 10 x table. Keep checking back they thru still remember the old ones. Do the same with number bonds too when they move up to year 3 onwards. Once confident, change the question round eg how many 2s in 20 etc. we love rurally so do a lot of cat journeys!

Oh they get to test me too!

Thanks everyone

What year are they? I'd ask school if they have a TY Rockstars account you can access before paying for it yourself.

Doodle Maths may be worth a look too

agree with the repetition but also make sure they know the tt tricks,

5x always end in 5 or 0

10x always end in 0

4x is double 2x. 8x is double 4x

6x is double 3x

And make sure they know all the tt pairs. 8x3 =3x8 etc etc

It might be obvious to us but not to kids unless it is pointed out.

The ones that always give grief are the 7,8, and 9 so really focus on them.

9s are easy.
Hold hands up palms facing them.

The put down the finger corresponding to the question.
So 7x9 put down the 7th finger (middle finger right hand).
There will then be 6 fingers, a break and 3 fingers, so the answer is 63.

My two love little rhymes:

”I ate and ate until I was sick on the floor, 8 x 8 is 64” is a slightly unsavoury but memorable one!

Another vote for Times Table rock stars here.

For 9x some children love the hand method. So for 9x 1put down thumb on left hand fingers remaining are 9. Put all fingers up again. 9 x 2 put 2nd finger down. You have one finger to left = 1 in imaginary tens column and eight to right of finger in units so 18. Sounds complicated to write but easy to do! Works right up to 9 x 10=90. Try it!

Also use times table songs in car until they’re automatic. Another one is play a game on the stairs if you’ve got a DC who likes be on the move. Get DC to write numbers 1 to 12 and place on each stair in order with one at the bottom. They choose a times table e.g. four. They stand on each stair in turn and say corresponding sum 4 x 1=4 on first step and so on. Then you can randomly shout out a number and they run to corresponding stair and say sum e.g. 4 x 9. Repeat ones they know well as well as challenge with new ones to grow confidence. If they keep getting stuck on one stand on it and say it ten times in different silly voices.

I know they have to properly understand the mathematical concept, but learning them by rote and being confident makes maths in school (and life) a lot more fun so definitely worth helping them do this in as many ways as possible.

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I used Alexa to sing the times tables songs on loop, we sang them in the car, I cut up cards so the could make their own sums (so 1-9 on one colour, 1-9 on a second colour then a multiplication 'x'). They set up a sum then wrote the answer - like a game.

Repetition, and then learning them out of order to check understanding. Times tables rockstars is a good app if they like apps.

Repetition. It'll eventually sink into their minds if you bring it up frequently, but in a fun way! I know a mum who made their daughter just write them all out repeatedly for an hour every day and while she did memorise them completely, it isn't the best idea!!

Repetition.

While out for a walk, throwing a ball, singing in the car, cooking dinner, jumping on a trampoline, running around the garden.

Doodle maths is an excellent online learning tool. It's a subscription but so worth it!

Could try 5,10
follow with 2,4,8
follow by 3,6,9
Easy to see the pattern and it seems to flow.
11,12.
Empty timetable sheet to download and print and do 1 to 12 in sequence under 8 mins, 5 minutes.
Than mixed time tables up and timed under 8 mins, 5 mins.
Aim for 3 minutes and under.

My dd also loves this. She's y1 so has lots to learn.

I second car trips. We had a 25 minute drive to the childminders every weekday. We did 5-10 minutes times tables, 5-10 minutes spelling and then listening to the radio every morning. It took a long time but DD got them completely by the end of yr 5.