Homeschooling kids can be challenging for parents, especially those who have never done it. This can be particularly true when it comes to mathematics. Teaching children how to do times tables can be difficult, but it isn’t impossible. In fact, many resources are available to help parents teach multiplication tables, including activities that make learning fun.
Times tables are essential for children to learn other areas of mathematics. Once children can recite times tables without having to think about what they are doing, it makes it a lot easier for them to learn other areas of mathematics and be better able to solve problems. This will help them with the Year 6 SAT paper because it features a lot of multiplication and division problems.
Also, knowing times tables will give them more confidence for working with math in the future.
Keep reading to learn more about how to teach times tables at home.
Start with an Assessment
Before you begin teaching your children how to do times tables, assessing them first to see where they are with their math skills is a good idea. Many resources are available for this, including online resources that will help you see your children’s strengths and weaknesses in math.
Once you have done an assessment, you can devise the right plan for teaching times tables.
Tips for Teaching Times Tables
There are many tricks you can use that will help children to learn their times tables. For instance, reciting is a great way to remember times tables. Saying the times tables aloud will help instill the ideas into their minds. It will also help them get into a rhythm while they work on their times tables.
Here are some more tips to help you easily teach your children how to do times tables.
1. Begin With the Zero and One Tables
One of the easiest ways to start teaching times tables to children is to begin with, the zero and one tables. It should be easy for them to remember that any number multiplied by zero will be zero and that any number multiplied by one will remain the same.
An example would be to tell them there are three chairs in a room, and no one is sitting in each chair. So, if they multiply the three by zero, they will see zero people in the room.
Next, move on to one table. A trick to get them to understand how this table works is to show them a calendar. Show them that one week has seven days. So, if they multiply one by seven, the answer will be seven. Look for other ways to show these relations in a way that is easy for them to remember.
2. Look for Patterns
Once they begin to learn times tables, many children will soon start to see patterns that will help them better remember the tables. For struggling children, it may be necessary to show them some of the various patterns. Teachers and parents usually teach children the 2, 5, and 10 times tables. Show them patterns, such as all of the numbers that end with a zero in the 10 table or that in the 5 times table, all answers end in either five or zero.
Once they progress into other times tables, get them to look for more patterns. For instance, show them that all answers will be even numbers in 2, 4, 6, or 8 times tables.
Or, if the numbers are 3, 5, 7, or 9, show them that all answers will be odd numbers. The more they learn and progress, the easier it will be for them to understand times tables, and they will begin counting in multiples.
3. Play Games
Learning times tables doesn’t have to be dry or boring. In fact, when you turn learning into games, it can be fun. You can play many multiplication games with your children, and when they are having fun, it’s easier for them to retain the information. There are both individual games and group activities that can be used to help children learn times tables faster and easier.
4. Show Them the Relationship between Multiplication and Addition
Memorization may not be the best way to teach kids about times tables. In fact, many students find it difficult to memorize all tables right away. Trying to get them to memorize things before they are ready may have the opposite effect of what you are looking for and make them worried or fearful of times tables.
Before memorizing, try showing your children how multiplication and addition are related. One of the first things to teach them is that multiplication is basically addition that is repeated.
Using examples they can relate to is a good idea to make things easier. For example, show them that 2 + 2 = 4 and 2 X 2 = 4, and they will see that both equations have the same answer. Then, start making things progressively difficult, such as 4 + 4 + 4 = 12 and 4 X 4 = 12.
5. Practice Makes Perfect
When children learn multiplication tables, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will master them immediately. It is going to take a lot of work and practice for them to be able to master multiplication tables.
So, it is essential to ensure that once your children have learned their times tables, you take them right into the next stage, which involves getting them to answer times table questions randomly. This can be either verbal or written.
The more you and your children practice times tables, the easier it will be for them to come up with the correct answers within three seconds. Make sure that they understand why it is so vital to be able to do this.
6. Give Them Time to Practice on Their Own
In addition to practicing times tables with your children, giving them plenty of time to practice these skills independently is crucial. Every child learns differently, so you must determine how they learn and get them into a rhythm that will work for each child.
Then, allow them plenty of time to practice their times tables independently. They can begin by reciting the tables repeatedly, and then they can start putting the times tables down on paper. The more they write the times tables, the easier it will be for them to retain the information.
7. Set Up a Times Tables Study Schedule
It is not always easy for children to jump from one subject to another, and often they work better when they have a schedule they can stick to. Then, they know how much time they have for each lesson they are working on.
So, set up a study schedule specifically for studying times tables. It is also a good idea to set up schedules within that schedule. For example, set aside a certain amount of time for working on each table (perhaps five to 10 minutes per table).
After they work on one table for a set amount of time, they can move on to the following times table.
8. Work in a Specific Order
Jumping around when teaching children to do times tables is not a good idea. It is best to have a strategic plan, so they can memorize their tables in a specific order. Start out by getting them to master the 0 to 3 times tables. Once they understand these tables, move on to the 4 to 7 times tables and then the 8 to 10 tables.
At this point, you can also introduce more difficult equations into the mix. Offer rewards for these bonus problems, encouraging them to study even harder to receive those rewards.
Conclusion
Learning times tables doesn’t have to be complicated. When you come right down to it, this is all about memorization. The more they do it, the easier it will be for them to find the correct answers quickly.
Once they know their times tables, you can start drilling them regularly. This will ensure that they retain what they have learned, and every time they get the correct answer, they will be encouraged to keep trying. They will have a sense of accomplishment and want to continue learning.