subject: The Way For Children To Learn Times Tables Is To Learn Them So That They Have 100% Instant Recall [print this page] I have just read an article by Deb Russell entitled Times tables in 21 days.
Deb highlights how essential it is for a child to learn times tables well for both school and for their later lives. She points out that with increasing curriculum content teachers have little time these days to make sure that children have really learned the tables well
As the Tables are a fundamental building block to learning maths and to being a success in school and in life this lack of time could have a very negative affect on your childs performance.The article gives different ways for parents to help their children with the task of learning times tables. The sentiments of the article are commendable and it would be worthwhile exploring these further by identifying some important matters that will help parents help their children learn the tables.To do this we will go through the solutions offered by Deb Russells article
Skip Counting - One solution the article offers is skip counting where you use your fingers to count as children learn by counting l, 2, 3 etcWith skip counting, as a child can count, 2,4,6,8,10 or say 10,20,30,40,60 with their fingers it is said to be a good method to learn times tables. Early learning of number patterns using fingers to count 2,4,6,8 of 5,6,15 is certainly a good idea. It gives children something physical to do, however, later on when you want your child to instantly know a Times Table, for example 7 x 5; it is of no help at all.In fact if you go through your fingers to find the answer this really slows you down in trying to get to the answer. What is needed is a fast method of learning, one in which the answers are recalled in an Instant.
The reason for not using this method is that it is too slow.To get to a correct answer children have spend times working out the answer which of course takes time and effort and is therefore an obstacle to learn times tables effectively.When learning the Times Tables a child needs to know the answer instantly and therefore what children need is an Instant Recall method of learning.
The article suggests using rhymes to learn times tables, linking music and rhythm to learn the tables.Other than when children are at a very early stage in learning numbers this is something that we do not agree with because with this method children are not learning the answer to the individual tables so that they know the answer in an Instant.Instead children have to work their way through the rhyme to get to the particular answer that they are after. This takes time and a lot of effort and is a method that we do not agree with other than for having some fun when teaching very young children.
Another method is learning tables both ways eg. 4 x 6 and 6 x 4.All tables and their opposites go together when being learned as this considerably reduces the effort and the time needed to learn the Tables.It is not enough to point out to children that it is a good idea to learn opposite tables together and you cannot take it for granted that the Tables will be learned together.The Learning Well puts forward just such a strategy.
Conclusion Other than the last method that children can use to learn times tables these ideas take a lot of time and effort, are not particularly effective, and do not result in an ability to learn times tables with an Instant Recall ability.Children need to know their times tables so that they can recall them instantly.
The very best method to learn times tables uses joint learning of opposite tables as part of a very clear and easy plan that achieves 100% INSTANT RECALL.
by: Olivia Chandler
welcome to Insurances.net (https://www.insurances.net)
