Math Tables - How to Learn

It may seem strange that something so fundamental as math tables requires specific techniques for learning. However I am confident that the following advice gives the quickest results and best retention of the tables.

HOW LONG AND HOW OFTEN? You will see best results from working on these math tables with your child daily. Don't make it an onerous task though; keep the sessions relatively short, say 10 to 15 minutes. This should even be continued for quite a while after the child has learned all the math tables, to make sure they are firmly lodged in the brain.

THE EASY ORDER. By learning the easiest math tables first your child will experience rapid progress and will be encouraged. I suggest the following order: 1x, 10x, 2x, 5x, then 3x and 4x, lastly 6x through 9x. If you choose to include the 11x and 12x tables they would probably go last but it is up to you.

I suggest that you focus on ONE TABLE PER SESSION. It doesn't have to be the same table each session, but stick to just one.

There are three areas: Writing, Reading and Testing.

WRITING: When writing math tables out the goal is to memorise the three numbers that go together. For example, with "5 x 4 = 20", the child learns that 5, 4 and 20 go together. For this reason it is essential that your child write out FULL SUMS, one at a time.

So the work of writing out times tables should look like this:

2 x 1 = 2
2 x 2 = 4
2 x

and so on. This gets those sets of three numbers into the brain.

What must not be done is this:

2 x 1
2 x 2
2 x
2 x
2 x
2 x
2
2
2

and so on. This is just list making and is a waste of time. What your child learn from this is "2, 2, 2, 2, 2" and "x x x x x x x " and "1, 2, 3, 4, 5" and at best "2, 4, 6, 8". All this is doing is learning to skip-count. There is no learning of trios of numbers.

I have watched students steadfastly holding onto this method for months and they learned nothing. In the same time other students, using the first method, were able to learn the majority of their tables.

Writing out the tables properly takes no more time than doing it the second way. However, your child may experience a heavy feeling in the head when doing this (a much reported experience of my students). I am confident this is the brain making new connections as it learns the number trios.

READING: This is where you as a parent come in. Sitting with your child and listening as she reads out the tables gives her an opportunity to say the facts out loud, and this will help to reinforce the memory. It will also show her that you have an interest in her succeeding with this so obviously it can't be done while watching TV; this also requires concentration.

Start with your child reading out the table she is working on from the paper she has written it on. Then, after a few goes at this, see if she can do it without looking, or with only looking at some of the sums. Keep going with this until she can recite the whole table without referring to the sheet.

TESTING: This flows naturally after reading. Once your child has read through the table out aloud a few times, ask her if she want you to ask her random questions. The answer is always "yes", so proceed.

One thing to be aware of here is to make sure your child experiences success with this testing, especially early on. Always start with the easy ones in the table like 2 x 1, 2 x 10, 2 x 3 and so on. Slip in a harder one like 2 x 7 every now and then and watch the brow furrow. Remember to end it on a positive note as well, by finishing off with a few more easy ones.


If these steps are taken on a regular basis your child will be better equipped to tackle upper primary and high school maths.


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