Teaching Multiplication Facts
Many children struggle with the challenge of learning times tables and retaining such facts that allow them to recall answers efficiently. Unfortunately, multiplication facts play a vital role in achieving age related expectations across many aspects of the math curriculum, so it's important that children have the best opportunities to embed times tables knowledge as early as possible to make math seem less daunting, especially when it comes to topics such as fractions.
Whilst there are many fun and engaging apps that appeal to learners to test their knowledge and recall skills, we must appreciate that most math lessons and assessments are paper based or practical, without the use of independent screen time. Therefore, children need to see multiplication in a variety of formats and contexts to fully embed and understand the concept of what happens to numbers and quantities when they are multiplied.
During my many years in the classroom, times tables knowledge amongst learners was always sporadic. There were those minority of children who went home and practiced daily and knew all facts up to 12x12 before the age of 9. There was the group of children who only engaged in times tables if it involved a computer based activity, but then they couldn’t retain the facts to apply to other units of maths and then there was the group that couldn't understand the concept of multiplication and totally disengaged at the mention of times tables, knowing they were never going to succeed.
It was based on this divide and my knowledge of the math curriculum and national expectations, that I decided to create my first set of multiplication worksheets that would hopefully engage all learners in my classroom. This led to the creation of a 76 page times tables printable book that delivered important and varied activities to help secure the 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12 times tables.
The activity pages were designed to build on each set of times tables facts but keep activities similar to promote a greater degree of independence, whilst still ensuring important skills were covered.
Arrays to provide visual representation and support for more struggling learners to identify multiples were a must. Once children completed this, they could then use the facts to complete a multiplication chart to familiarise themselves with the facts.
Number tracks and identifying multiples within that times table would then help with the retention of each table's facts.
From there, children could then begin matching questions to answers and multiple choice questions.
This could be reinforced with additional games such a ‘Round the World,’ multiplication bingo and weekly quizzes.
Once children showed confidence in recalling most facts within that times table, I then used the ‘Beat the Clock’ activity to build up pace and rapid recall, encouraging learners to beat their personal best time from the previous ‘Beat the clock' activity.
Throughout my time teaching KS2, children responded well to these activities and made progress towards being able to recall all multiplication facts up to 12 x 12. I’m not going to lie to you though, as you know, teaching multiplication facts does not rely solely on these activities. There are other factors and resources to include, such as visual displays around your learning environment, dedicated time set aside regularly throughout the week to practice facts, effective tracking, songs, games and some small amount of screen time to cater for the needs of all learners are important in helping youngsters commit these facts to their long term memory and seeing successes in achieving their age related expectations.
All we can do is give them a huge range of experiences and opportunities to see multiplication in a variety of forms so they can apply their knowledge with greater confidence.
Multiplication Activities and resources you may also be interested in.
