Not everyone can learn multiplication tables using rote memorization without learning some tricks to help along the way. There are some handy multiplication tricks to help teach this necessary skill.
Implementing math activities with repetition and learning patterns in numbers proves to be more effective than trying to memorize just by sight.
Multiplication tables
Multiplication tables, also called times tables, lists the multiples of a specific number. It is one of the elementary mathematical operations taught to children at an early age. One tactic that works quite well for students is to draw lines from problem to answer, a practice that should be repeated nightly until they’re solid. Another is figuring out patterns that help with recalling these facts.
In this blog, we have put together some easy ways to remember multiplication tables, as well as ways to engage & inspire your children to learn them.
Easy ways to remember times tables
The easiest way to learn times tables is by having your child get involved in a range of activities that exercise their memory and grab their attention.
Write out a multiplication table
This is an old, but excellent method for learning and memorizing multiplication tables that works quite well for some students. You can download 12 by 12 Blank Multiplication Square & fill in every individual box. Use different colored pencils to fill them.
Next, you want to hang the finished square wherever your child sees it often (e.g. next to the whiteboard or bedroom door). Then, set up a regular time to sit down together and run through a specific set of times tables without any pressure. This might be just before dinner or while getting prepared for bed. The more often they see and practice reciting their timetables, the more likely they will learn!
Start with the easiest
When learning times tables, a way to make it feel much simpler is to start with the “easy” numbers, such as 2, 5 and 10. These should be the focus until they are fully memorized. Once they are, move on to 9. The 9’s have many convenient rules that make them fairly easy to recall. For example, all answers for the 9’s times tables add up to 9. Next, working on 3, 6, and 7 is best. Lastly, once those are memorized, move on to 4 and 8. These tend to cause the most difficulty for students, however if all other times tables are memorized, they already have most of the set down, so it’s much easier!
Skip counting
Skip-counting is one of the finest ways to memorize multiplication tables without repeating numbers. To skip-count, start with the number you are counting by and keep adding that number. For instance, skip-counting by 2 would be 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, etc. Skip-counting by 6 will be 6, 12, 18, 24, etc.
You could make skip-counting a fun and unforced way to learn times tables by skip-counting to song tunes.
Get your child to set their aims and reward them while they meet them.
If they aim to learn their 2, 3, and 5 times tables in a week, you might arrange a treat for them if they reach that aim. A bit of innocent competitiveness is an effective way to inspire your progenies to meet their multiplication objectives! In the classroom, you might set up a star chart, and each kid can put a gold star or sticker next to the table that they have learned to keep track of their progress. This might work towards a golden hour on a Friday afternoon.
Drawing lines to match answers
A great method to learn times tables that is also fun is to use a whiteboard and markers to draw the problem to the answer, then play around with the order until memorized. For example, line up the 3’s on the left side of the board…3×4, 3×8, etc, then the answers, out of order, on the right side. Have your child draw lines to the correct answer.
Use Math Worksheets
Using educational worksheets throughout class or in a home atmosphere allows you to improve children’s multiplication skills and get feedback on their development simultaneously. This type of activity is something they can easily work on at any time to see what they recall. Best of all, learners see them as a fun and stress-free activity.
Play “Math Card War”
Children learn a lot while playing games, likely while being unaware of the progress they’re making.
All that’s required is a regular deck of cards without the jokers. Give every player an equal number of cards till the deck is entirely spent. Then, the players draw two cards from the topmost of their pile and place them on the table. The player with the highest multiplication product (from their first & second card) wins & takes all the cards on the table. The player who finishes up with the most accepted cards wins the game.
Multiplication doesn’t need to be as challenging as some may think. The trick lies in discovering the right tools and methods when introducing students to multiplication tables.
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