How can i get my 10 y.o. to learn her times tables?

Question

Doe she have to know them at this point? I have tried workbooks, flashcards, puzzles, games and drills. We even have a wipe-off mat with them. She is so stubborn sometimes;-(

Answer 1

The educator John Holt suggests making a chart with 0-12 across and 0-12 up. Allow the child to fill in the chart, allow them to make mistakes and eventually they will get the connection and also will identify (on their own) the patterns. Have her fill in the same type of chart daily until she gets them.

I do want to add one more thing, IMHO, NO she does not "need" to know them at this point, only if she is in the school system should it even be an issue, unless of course she is being tested by the state. There are numerous children in public schools who struggle with multiplication as well and they are lumped in a "slow" category, screw that, everyone is a unique individual.

Take your time with her and like the poster directly below me has stated, make it real for her. Bake cookies and let her see how tell how many cookies you were able to make. How many will fit on a cookie sheet? How many rows up and across? How many on two cookie sheets. Beans, beads, coins, leaves, anything that helps her "see" the problem.

EDIT: OH! And of course there are always the School House Rock Cd's http://www.amazon.com/Schoolhouse-Rock-Multiplication-Tom-Warburton/dp/1569494096/sr=8-1/qid=1160528771/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-4559013-5258512?ie=UTF8 !! They cover 0-12. I just remembered that a few minutes ago. How many of us 30 somethings remember those songs? LOL...come to think of it, they are good for a few grammar lessons as well. :-)

Answer 2

First things first..... don't assume that she is being stubborn. That is a number one detriment to learning. It puts up a mental road block in a child's mind. If she senses impatience or frustration from you it may hinder her motivation.

Sometimes it may seem that she is not trying when in reality she might just be trying too hard.

Start out by setting math aside for a few days. Replace it with some fun projects such as cooking, beading, painting etc.... Then, change your tune. Smile. Keep smiling.

Don't stop smiling even when she "doesn't get it".

Simplify things down to only flashcards and a graph-style table, a pencil and a piece of paper.

Allow her to choose a medium to use as a manipulative. My children have used dry macaroni, beans, rice grains, popcorn kernals, marbles, and money --- plus more.

Show her how to choose 10 random flashcards.
1. She should make a "picture" of the equation with her items.
for example: 4 X 5 = ? requires 4 groups of 5 beans or 5 groups of 4 beans --- she should set up her beans to match the numbers on both sides of the equation and then count them. The total can be written in the appropriate place on the times-table chart. OR she can write out the whole equation on a lined piece of paper. When all ten cards have been worked out with her hands, eyes and mind she can look at the paper for a few minutes and try to focus on the answers---- take a stop watch and go through the flash cards. When she doesn't know an answer she can work it out while the timer runs --- write down the time it took to complete all 10 cards. Go through them again for 3 maybe 4, 5 or 6 times --- each time write down the new time. You'll be surprised at how her recall will blossom.

It is a slow process!!!! Good solid learning skills are developed slowly. Don't despair. Smile and praise each accomplishment. It works! Don't ever fret about what she cannot do --- rejoice in the things that she CAN do -- her confidence will grow.

It may take days even weeks for her to become willing to participate --- keep it happy. The invitation to try is all you need to offer. Smile and keep smiling if she rejects it. Oftentimes when you give the child the reins of self-teaching they will do very well -- if it is her choice to pick the cards and pick the items she will like it much better.

Answer 3

The best thing I have ever seen done is just a progressive chart starting with the 1s and going thru ....10 for a 10 yr old but at least 12 by 13....Start w/ 0s then 1s and you can mix it up...start with the problem 1x2=__ Then mix it up like __x2=2 do one full work sheet every day prior to doing anything else. Then on Fridays do a test but do a speed test. Make a couple of work sheets and give them say 5 minutes to do as many as they can. Come up w/ some sort of prize for the best improvement in the bunch (bunch of kids that is) prior to high school I had my kids do that stuff as part of their daily school work. This really helps them when they get to pre algebra and algebra because they know their multiplication tables backwards forwards and inside out. Then the division comes much easier too. The daily drills don't have to take more than a couple of minutes (maybe 15-20 min.) but this foundation will last a lifetime.

Answer 4

She needs a goal for each. So if she would like new sneakers, a CD or go to the movies, let her know you will give her $20 if she can correctly recite the entire 8 times table to you, on Monday, on Tuesday and on Friday...then you give her the $20 for the item she wants. Praise her efforts and take her to the store. She need a tangible goal. Making her do on several different days will help her retain the information better.

If this is not up your (or her) alley, try showing her how this can effect her personally....say:

I would like to give you some of my change for your piggy bank...
without a chart and without a calculator, I want you to choose how many quarters you want: 4 stacks of 6 quarters or 7 stacks of 3 coins quarters.

Once she chooses, show her what the options were and let her "see" if she did well or lost! Keep this up until she figures it out.

Also, allow her to have a party, have her design her guest list. Tell her that each guest can only have 3 favors...how many total will this be? Incorporate things she like. Does she like Madonna....have her calculate how many songs she sang on her past tours in Europe, if she sings on average 12 song and went to 9 cities!

Make it REAL to her. Flashcards are not REAL!

Answer 5

For the fastest way, you need consistency. Do the same table every day for a week. Think about how she seems to remember things best and focus on that way. Is it through oral recitation? Oral recitation combined with a visual chart to refer to when necessary? Through listening to songs? Your library will undoubtedly have one of the cd's out there where kids listen to songs to memorize the tables. Does she do best when touching things? Combined maybe with seeing? Have her line up Cheerios for showing the tables each day.

Pick one format for one table and do that every day for a week. Have the initial focus on the order. So, for x2, the 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Then mix it up. Then move onto another table. Then combine those two for a review test on the Friday. Then do another table. Then combine with what's been done. And so on. Consider doing it only orally for now if writing seems to get all confused.

Another alternative I've heard of but don't know how good it is is to focus only one 2 new facts a day. So, start with say, 2x9 and 2x8, with their matching 9x2 and 9x8. Give a bunch of questions like that. If she does well, the next day, add two more to what she's already done. Don't move on if she ends up slowing down. She should know the new ones as well as the old ones.

Answer 6

Try the charts and multiplication tables as mentioned above. And write them in large numbers, on a huge piece of poster board or cardboard. Tape the board up on a blank wall. Make the numbers bright, so they really stand out. Go over the multiplications starting from the easiest (1, 2, 3), and only move on when your child has fully grasped these sets.

Take it from me, a lifelong math failure. I was taught math by a frustrated dad, frustrated older brother, frustrated teachers...it only made me more nervous, and I barely passed highschool calculus, and made it into college by a hair because of my failings at math.

Use gold stars as a reward. Kids just love being rewarded, even for the smallest of accomplishments...and no accomplishment is too small when it comes to our kids!

Answer 7

First, make sure she does not have a learning disability. If she does, that will make it difficult for her to memorize the numbers.
http://www.dyscalculia.org/calc.html


If you are sure she does not have a learning disability, try this: Every time she gets a problem wrong make her add the numbers to get the correct answer. For example: If she says 2 x 3 = 5, then make her add 2 + 2 and give you the answer then +2 again. Go through this explaination each time she gets a question wrong. When she gets tired of this, she will be more willing to memorize the times tables. Add to this, rewards for correct answer (one sticker per answer - 10 stickers gets reward).

Answer 8

On an episode of Full House (90's family sitcom), Danny (the dad) put up little posters of Spanish words his daughter (DJ) was supposed to learn for spanish class. You could try something like that, but use numbers instead. Hang cute posters (anywhere in the house or car) with a multiplication on them. Like one poster says 2 x 2 = 4, and add something to the bottom, like "Memorize this problem, and recieve ___ extra minutes to stay up at night." or something fun she'll work for. If I was a kid, I'd respond to that. Give her rewards for learning. Make it fun!!

Answer 9

Yes she has to know her multiplication tables! I teach 5th grade and she will be tested on them on Standaridized Tests for the rest of her educational career!

Good old memorization basically. But there are some "tricks" to learning some of them...
just google it, and you'll find tons.

Make it fun for her and not a chore. Race each other, give her rewards, if not she will just hate doing it. Good luck

Answer 10

I was taught by my teacher to make it into a song. Find a rhythm for each table. Like 3,6,9,12,etc. It worked for me, it may work for her. Tell her to learn each number multiplied up to ?X12 each day. Have her say it again, along with the next table, the next day. Repetition is the key.