EasyStreetLearning Times Table Learning Plan

for our Multiplication Practice Challenge

for our Division Practice Challenge

Help your child enjoy maths by following this Times Table guide

Your child's Times Tables knowledge is very important. Much of the maths they will do in the years to come will rely on it.

Learning the Times Tables is usually the first big memory challenge your child will face, however parents are often unaware of the effective ways they can help. Ineffective approaches to learning the Times Table is why children's skill level is often lower than it needs to be. This prevents many children enjoying maths and succeeding in it.

We created this guide to make it easier for parents to help their children and avoid common mistakes.

At school, children enjoy what they are good at, so helping them learn their Times tables well will really make a big difference to them. Don't worry, you don't even need to know the Times Tables yourself to help your child succeed!

When is your child ready to learn their Times Tables?

We say the earlier the better, as long as they have some basic skills (more on that below).

Starting early gives your child a big advantage of having a long time to develop a high skill level at a pace that suits them.

We all know young children are very good at learning things by heart - consider how easily they learn (and enjoy) nursery rhymes.

There's no need to wait for school to start teaching them. Typically, schools teach the Times Tables over the period from age 8 to age 10. However, many children are ready to start learning their Times Tables much earlier than that, as early as age 6 or 7.

These are the skills your child should have before learning their Times Tables (you can build these skills with daily practice with just few minutes each day) -

• Step Counting: Make sure your child can count in -
  • 2's to 50 (eg. "0, 2, 4, ..., 50")
  • 5's to 100 (eg. "0, 5, 10, 15, ..., 100"), and,
  • 10's to 200 (eg. "0, 10, 20, ..., 200")

  Remind your child that "slowly and correctly is better than fast with mistakes".

  They should also be able to step count backwards in -

  • 2's from 24 to 0 (24, 22, 20, etc)
  • 5's from 60 to 0 (60, 55, 50, etc)
  • 10's from 120 to 0 (120, 110, 100, 90, etc)

• Basic Adding and Subtraction

  SAY BETTER ADD AND sub req for Group 2 and 3.

  • Sums like "10 + 4, 10 + 12"
  • Subtrations like "90 - 9, 30 - 7, 132 - 12"

Once they are confident with these skills, they are ready to learn their Times Tables.

Our '3 Step Approach' to learning the Times Tables

Without guideance, parents often make the mistake of leaving out steps 1 and 3 -

Understand all the concepts required

Isn't it always boring learning something you don't really understand or see the point of?
Read on to make sure this is not the case for your child.

Using objects you can show your child what multiplication 'looks like'. Using objects makes learning 'active' and so more memorable, fun and easier!

Watch these videos and repeat what you see with your child -

"Multiplication" is just repeated addition

The best way to demonstrate this is with similar objects such as wrapped sweets. Watch this video and do the same with your child -

In this video -
Repeated addition - that's what multiplication is
What multiplication 'looks like'
Useful meanings: 'times' and 'lots of'

First explain to your child the idea of repeated addition - that's what multiplication is. Use the phrase "lots of", for example "2 lots of 3" and "3 lots of 3".

Use this video to show you how to explain to your child what one number times another number actually looks like.

[Video 1 - 1 lot of 2, 2 lots of 2, 3 lots of 2 - next add up what each gives]

[Video 2 - explain that in stead of "lots of" we can say "times". It means adding up the same number a number times. ]

Repeat this daily for upto about 15 minutes, until your child can demonstate they understand.

[Video 3 - Ask child to show what 3 x 4 etc looks like]

"Times"

"2x3 = 3x2"

Helping your child enjoy maths - is a valuable gift you can give your child.

Learn the Times Tables

Get your FREE Times Tables booklet for your child to learn from

for a FREE copy of our booklet 'The Times Table from 2 to 12'. It includes a 'Times Table Grid' and some very useful notes. If you need a FREE PDF Reader to view it, you can install it from here.

Once you have printed the booklet, ask your child to write their name in the space on the front. Let them them decorate the front page if they would like to. Since your child will be using this booklet over a long period, it's a good idea to put it into plastic sleeve folder like this.

If want, you can print parts of the booklet, click any link below -

How to learn the Times Tables

We've split the Times Tables into three groups of difficulty. Follow the instructions below to help your child master each of their Times Tables -

Group 1: "The Easier Ones" (2, 5, 10)

Tips for Learning the 2 Times Table

As a warm up, ask your child to count in 2's from 2 to 24.
Remind them what 1 x 2 and 2 x 2 looks like.
Ask them to show you what 3 x 2 looks like.
Check they remember why you can swap the numbers around (ie. 2 x 3 is the same as 3 x 2)
Show your child a copy of the 2 Times Tables.
Point out that the first number increases while the second number stays the same.
Then say the beginning of the Times Tables yourself like this -
"1 2s are 2" (ie. 'One twos are two' explain that this is short for '1 x 2 = 2')
"2 2s are 4"
"3 2s are 6"

It's really worth while using the above wording as it's a lot less wordy than saying "one times two is two" and it also reminds your child that multiplication is just repeated addition.

Now say them together with your child. You could do this using the printed Times Table with your finger as a guide, or, you could face eachother at the same level.

After doing this a few times, your child will begin to say them themselves. At this point encourage them to say it without looking at their printed Times Tables. When they get stuck they should then look at the printed Times Tables as a reminder.

Aim to get your child used to practicing their Times Tables by themselves. Stay within ear-shot so you can tell if they are practicing properly and step in if needed. Provide encouragement by offering to them a small reward (like TV time) when they put in a good effort.

Remember to get them to practice in a quiet place away from distractions and at a time when they are alert.

If they have problems concentrating you could practice with them or take a break and try again later.

If your child is full of energy at bedtime this is a good way to use this energy constructively.

If they simply are trying to avoid learning, CLICK HERE for our article for our article on smart discipline.

[video clip - showing print out, ]

Learning the 5 Times Table

Follow the same method shown above above for the 5 Times Tables.

Learning the 10 Times Table

Follow the same method shown above above for the 10 Times Tables.

Remind your child that when multiplying any number by 10, just put a 0 on the right side of the number. You can show your child this using a pen a paper.

Group 2: Difficulty:Medium (2, 5, 10)

Learning the 2 Times Table

As a warm up, ask your child to count in 2's from 2 to 24.
Then remind them what 1 x 2 and 2 x 2 looks like.

Which Times Tables to learn

2 to 10, or 2 to 12

Important tips on how to learn the Times Tables

See spreadsheet, get active. Xref with ESL page / word doc. Xref online. Practice daily.

Effective practice is the key to confident Times Tables learning

XXXX Long term to short term

Record parents email. Page emails parent score and time - to keep track of score - record scores in a chart ? Time How long taken?

Interactive Times Tables practice

email parents with results track results ? http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/timestable/index.html

Practice using the Times Tables

This step is really important because your child needs to do more than recite their Times Tables to solve maths qustions.

They need to use their Times tables knowledge in two ways -

They need to be able to quickly say the answer of any multiplication. They need to do this without having to go through the times tables to get to the answer they need.

To solve a division of two numbers

Times Tables Practice Tool

Practice Tools

Applying Times Tables skills to solve word based questions

Restaurant / X ref GCSE qestions / KS2 / 11 Plus /

Have hints ? - rand q with numbers that are also rand

Active learning: Practical ways to practice Times Tables

XXXX

Times Tables Tricks

9 times tables trick etc [video]

Times Table learning pitfalls to avoid

• Some children learn their Times tables as a list for example for the 3 Times Tables they learn 3, 6, 9, etc. They just add 3 to the last number. This is no use answering maths questions as for that children have to be able to recall maths facts quickly.
• No enough practice over a long period of time. Parents usually help their children learn their Times Tables as part of homework set by school. This may result in just a few days of practice, however this is not enough time for the Times Tables to become part of your child's Long Term Memory.
• Infrequent practice of Times tables means that recall drops off between practices and your child may not improve their skill level. Daily practice means that your child will steadily improve faster and their confidence will also grow.

Developing your child's memory and concentration

MOVE TO OWN ARTICLE AND link to it!

The mind is like a muscle, it needs exercise to become stronger. Children need to be able to concentrate and remember well to effectively learn their Times Tables.

There are games you can play to build these like turn-and-match cards, draughts and chess. Make your next shopping trip a memory workout by having a go at remember your list together.

DIAGRAM of MEMORY, CONCENTRATION, DISCIPLINE, MOTIVATION, LEARNING IS FAMILY PRIORITY,

Fun games to help learn the Times Tables

Xref

'Times Table Snap' develop for Amazon !!!

They have to find ways to use their Times tables when out and about eg ??? - need 5 points to win a small prize.

Children love Mobile Phones - here are some that we recommend

Fact to learn: Anything times 0 is 0

Helping a child with learning difficulties learn the Times Tables

Ref book 'Dyscalculia Book'.

Times Tables mastered? Now help them conquer Mental Maths

Our books.

Suggested next reading

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