Math teachers: best way to learn x's tables?

[whatname]

DD is working on learning multiplication tables. She is doing fine, but I was wondering if there is a more efficient way of learning than flashcards, writing and re-writing facts, and just plain memorization. Are there any tricks to help memorize them?

Thanks for the expertise!

 

[clutter]

Not a math teacher, but when having to learn the x tables, we played multiplication war with cards. Ace = 1, Jacks = 11, Queens = 12, Kings = 0. For a couple years, we'd play anytime my dd needed a refresher to speed up her facts.

 

[Kellydelly]

I am interested in finding out how to help my 3rd grader memorize the times tables. She was actually put into a seperate math group with other kids struggling doing addition instead a couple months into the school year. I don't think that helped her and actually put her several week further behind her peers. It is all memorization, isn't it? She doesn't understand that just because she passed a test on the 4s and moved on, that she can't forget what she learned, it is a base for all other math she will do in the future .

 

[DLgal]

I'm not a teacher, but I have a son in 3rd grade doing the same.

Multiplication is all about memorization. Plain and simple. There are really no tricks to it. Even as an adult, it's memorization. It's one of the math skills you will continue to use for the rest of your life, so it needs to be something you can easily do in your head whenever you need it (i.e. tipping at restaurants, figuring discounts/sale prices in your head while shopping, etc.)

I would suggest some video games (computer or handheld) or apps that work on this as a way for a child to get it memorized in a more fun way. There are TONS of games out there that hone this skill.

 

[joviroxx]

Im not a math teacher either but I remember those days. Its all about practice, practice, practice. I used to give my kids worksheets all the time and did them all through middle school.

There are tricks to certain tables such as the 3,6,9 tables but it might be a little too soon.

I would give them worksheets and tell them they had a specific amount of time to do it. They would get a silly reward each time they broke their previous time. It was like a game and it seemed to work for both of mine. And DS15, hates math but this would keep him entertained.

 

[AverageDiser]

In addition to what some pp's have mentioned, music. My dd loved schoolhouse rock and still sings the ditties to help remember sometimes. You can also search youtube for multiplication songs and get quite a few hits. There have also been cd's made, and I'm sure songs on i-tunes and amazon you can download. Good luck!

 

[cassandrap83]

0s, 1s, 2s, 4s, 5s, 10s, and 11s can easily be taught through simple logic

"anything times 0 is 0"
"anything times 1 is the same number"
"anything times 2 is a double"
"anything times 4 is the number doubled and then doubled again"
"anything times 5 is like counting by 5s"
"anything times 10, add a 0"
"anything times 11 is the same number twice"

For 9s, you can do the finger trick. Have the child hold up all 10 fingers.

9x1 put down her left pinky. Count all #s to the put down finger = 9

9x2 put down left ring finger. Number to the left of put down = 1, other side of put down finger = 8 which when put together is 18

9x3 put down left middle finger. Number to the left of the put down = 2, other side of put down finger = 8 which when put together is 27

it contines to go on like this.

Hope that helps. Now you just have to work on 3s, 6s, 7s, & 8s

 

[joviroxx]

In addition to what some pp's have mentioned, music. My dd loved schoolhouse rock and still sings the ditties to help remember sometimes. You can also search youtube for multiplication songs and get quite a few hits. There have also been cd's made, and I'm sure songs on i-tunes and amazon you can download. Good luck!

Im going to have "Conjunction, junction , what's your function" stuck in my head all day LOL!

 

[AverageDiser]

Im going to have "Conjunction, junction , what's your function" stuck in my head all day LOL!

I know, right?? I bought the complete set on dvd, and dd(11) and I will still pop it in and watch them, singing along like fools! They really do work.

 

[akcire]

Some kids need to see the math to understand it and remember. I would get 144 of something and let them do some tactile visual work too. Last time I did this the only thing the family had was fish sticks, it was different. Normally I will use m&ms, pennies, milk jug rings, bottle caps etc.

 

[Minnie824]

My DD is in 3rd grade too..her school uses xtramath.org (or .com don't remember). It REALLY helped her...its online and is timed and they have to do it a few times a week. Not sure if its needed through the school or if you can just sign up, but I would try to sign up and practice there.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I downloaded an app called "Math Fact" to my iPad for DS9. We typically limit electronic time, but he thought it was great that he was allowed to use the iPad. Before that, we did the writing and rewriting, and he hated it.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

The last week or so we have been using the Squeebles ap for the iPad. DD loves it. Each time she does it she rescues a Squeeble which has its own personality. Its great motivation for her.

 

[jetskigrl]

DS's teacher has the kids play a game called Rapid Fire with a regular deck of cards. The put down two cards face up and whoever can multiply them first wins those two cards. Whoever has the most cards at the end of the deck wins.

This won't work for us at home since the rest of us can easily beat DS so I modified it. In one version, I lay out two cards and give him five seconds to give me the right answer. If he does, he gets the cards. If not, I get them. Whoever has the biggest stack at the end wins.

Other times I will pull out one card with a number that he is having trouble with (like 8) and then go throught he whole deck against that one card. Again, the goal is to have more rights than wrongs.

In both cases, we will go back and play the wrongs again until he gets through the whole deck.

Poor DS has such a hard time retaining information. He made it through all his timed tests last year (in 3rd) but still struggles with multiplication this year in 4th so it is just practice, practice, practice.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

For 9s, you can do the finger trick. Have the child hold up all 10 fingers.

Or:

For nines, subtract 1 from the number being multiplied by 9. That goes in the ten's place. Subtract that from 9, and that goes in the one's place.

9 * 2 = 18 (2-1) & (9-1)
9 * 8 = 72 (8-1) & (9-7)

 

[Bnb0627]

Someone recently gave DD9 a multiplication wrap up. I've never heard of it but it is helping her.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0007P95JA

 

[DarthMama]

Practice, practice, practice is the way to learn. We use Khan Academy online and it has lots of great practice drills for multiplication.

 

[Pembo]

I am a teacher and kill and drill is the most effective. Some kids do better writing them, some do better with oral practice, some on the computer, some on the i-pad...just try different methods until you find the one that clicks with your kid.

Also I've found that concentrating on a given number - say the 3's tables - until they get it, then add in the next number. It's easier than trying to learn them all at once.

 

[PigletsPal2]

In addition to what some pp's have mentioned, music. My dd loved schoolhouse rock and still sings the ditties to help remember sometimes. You can also search youtube for multiplication songs and get quite a few hits. There have also been cd's made, and I'm sure songs on i-tunes and amazon you can download. Good luck!

I wholeheartedly agree with this! My DDs are well out of school now, but if we had been able to put math equations and chemistry formulas to music, they would have been geniuses! LOL!

Queen Colleen

 

[Ephany]

Someone recently gave DD9 a multiplication wrap up. I've never heard of it but it is helping her.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0007P95JA

That's what I was going to suggest. We used these and flashcards, over and over and over. DD was also fascinated by the 9's one on your hands although it didn't help her during quiz time at school.