Teachers see them often: students who are moving on in grade but haven't learned their multiplication facts. They often work harder with less progress, since they are compensating for lack of mastery. Learning the times tables can be classroom recreation time, incorporating dance, arm movements, sing-song rhythms, and great fun. Try some of the author's rhymes and make up others as you go along. Pause a moment after the word "is" to give a bit of thinking time, and make it more dramatic.
Help Students See a Goal as Possible
Many don't get to the mastery of multiplication because they see the goal as impossibly huge. This is a theme repeated many times in working with students who are stuck doing it "the hard way" of using charts or other time-consuming crutches. One way to help them make progress is to break it up for them, showing them how to achieve one thing at a time. It is vital to show them how much they already know since that can go a long way toward encouraging them to keep on trying.
Multiplication Rhymes for the Fours
Do this after students know how to multiply by 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 11. Show students how they only need to learn four times 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 to know all the fours. That's only five facts!
Tell this to the king and queen! 4 x 4 is 16.
Learn it now or your brain'll get sore! 6 x 4 is 24.
Say it now and you'll be first-rate! 4 x 7 is 28.
When I think of 8 I say "Achoo." 4 x 8 is 32.
Use your fingers when you're in a fix. 4 x 9 is 36.
Multiplication Rhymes for the Sixes
Do this after students know how to multiply by 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10, and 11. Show students how they only need to learn six times 6, 7, 8, and 9 to know all the sixes. That's only four facts!
I know now and you do too! 6 x 7 is 42.
Learn it now and don't be late! 6 x 8 is 48.
Lay your fingers on the floor, cause 6 x 9 is 54!
It's a rhymer. You know 5 x 5 is 25, now say 6 x 6 is 36!
Rhymes and Tricks to Learn to Multiply by Nine
There are several well-known tricks for learning the nines. Finger tricks are great, but need to be accompanied by games and oral drill in which random nine facts are called out and the kids yell out the answer, or write it down. The goal is to develop fluency by not getting stuck in the trick – using it only as a bridge to memorization.
Multiplication Rhymes for the Sevens and Eights
At this point students usually think they're about half way through. It's an eye-opener to show them that they only need to learn three facts to have the sevens and eights mastered!
7 x 7 makes you feel just fine. 7 x 7 is 49.
Say this when you're in a fix. 7 x 8 is 56.
Look at all those bugs on the floor! 8 x 8 is 64.
Multisensory Methods to Teach Multiplication Mastery
Do not underestimate the value of using skip-counting to increase multiplication mastery. Skip counting games are a great way to help the knowledge of the times tables move into the long term memory.
In order to motivate students, explain how once facts are memorized, they can do "lazy math" while others may have to work hard. Once they clearly understand that, along with having the task broken into manageable pieces, they will have a good reason to stay with it.
Parents and teachers can help children master the basic times tables by breaking the goals into small parts. Add lots of energy, emotion, and expression and you have a formula for helping children learn their multiplication facts. Besides that, they will enjoy math more and fear it less. What a deal!
Hildra Tague - Mrs. Hildra Tague is a freelance writer, consultant, and teacher dedicated to issues of education and parenting. This all started when she ...
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