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Post by bugsmom on Sept 11, 2006 21:43:10 GMT -5
Does anyone have any new or exciting ways to help kids with their multiplication problems? My son is 10 and in the 5th grade and still will use his fingers to figure them out. I've tried everything to get him to memorize them and he just struggles so hard with them. Any ideas would be great! Thanks!
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Post by misty on Sept 11, 2006 21:48:09 GMT -5
CharliGirl posted once that she made huge flash cards & taped them all over the house where her son usually goes/looks. I tried it & although I feel like I live in a math book, its helping!! My daughter has a math LD..shes 12 & still doesn't know her times tables completely so I'll take any ideas others have too!
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Post by jj on Sept 14, 2006 1:39:02 GMT -5
I know this first part won't help your son memorize Bugsmom, but while we are on the subject of multiplication I thought I'd post these old tricks some of us may have forgotten. But if you read further down there may be some tricks you can try. There is also a fun game you can play with cards and a multiplication grid you can print out at this link: math.about.com/bltricks.htmThe 9 Times Quickie
Hold your hands in front of you with your fingers spread out. For 9 X 3 bend your third finger down. (9 X 4 would be the fourth finger etc.) You have 2 fingers in front of the bent finger and 7 after the bent finger Thus the answer must be 27 This technique works for the 9 times tables up to 10. The 4 Times Quickie
If you know how to double a number, this one is easy. Simply, double a number and then double it again! The 11 Times Rule #1
Take any number to 10 and multiply it by 11. Multiply 11 by 3 to get 33, multiply 11 by 4 to get 44. Each number to 10 is just duplicated. The 11 Times Rule #2
Use this strategy for two digit numbers only. Multiply 11 by 18. Jot down 1 and 8 with a space between it. 1 --8. Add the 8 and the 1 and put that number in the middle: 198 One thing you may want to do is use that chart above and find out which ones he does know by memory. Maybe circle them on the chart. If he is O.K. with addition and subtraction he may be able to figure out a couple more by subtracting/adding what he does know. Does that make sense? Another thing is like Misty said Barb said (LOL), make flash cards but have him write them with your assistance. This may help reinforce at least some of them. This was part of a discussion on a teachers forum: Try to make the times tables something not to be feared. Show your child that there are ways to remember the facts. There are hints and tricks to remember them.
For instance, if your child knows the 2's tables, he need only double them to get the 4's table, and double again to get the 8's table. Example: To find 6x4, do 6x2 (12) and double it (24). To find 6x8, double it again (48).
If you were to find all the numbers 0-99 that were the products of two single-digit numbers, you would see that there were only 37. After finding them on the 0-99 chart, you then eliminate all the "easy" ones from the 0's, 1's, 2's, and 5's tables (those are the tables most 4th graders know by heart). You are then left with only 19 numbers that are the product of two single digit numbers. They are 12, 16, 18, 21, 24, 27, 28, 32, 36, 42, 48, 49, 54, 56, 63, 64, 72, and 81. Many students know one of the 9's table tricks and can eliminate five more (27, 54, 63, 72, and 81). Now there are only 14 left to learn.
Make up flash cards with these 14 left. It is much less intimidating having only 14 numbers that you have to learn the factors for. Some numbers have several factors. Example: 24 - 3x8, 8x3, 4x6, 6x4.
I hope I have explained this well enough for you to understand. It still requires memorizing, but it adds some understanding to the numbers being memorized [the commutative property, which means 6x3 is the same as 3x6)].
I hope this will help your child learn his tables, but what you really want your child to know is the mathematics, to understand where the numbers are coming from and how to find the answer to a problem. I think he showed signs of that when he knew that multiplication is only repeated addition.mathforum.org/t2t/message.taco?thread=151&message=3
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Post by Charlie Girl on Nov 4, 2006 9:47:28 GMT -5
I made up a silly song using the multiplication table. I would make it rhyme and something he would laugh at.
That helped, the cards taped to the wall helped and I made flash cards using white crayon on black paper for him to fiddle with when I was working in the kitchen and he was sitting there watching me.
Anything you can do that makes it different and hopefully memorable is bound to make a difference. The goal is to get them to remember.
Also, you've heard it before but drilling, drilling, drilling works.
We had family contests like they do in school only he played against Mom and Dad and the big sister. He loved that. Of course, it helped that we would have to think so long that he often had time to remember and answer first.
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Post by lillian on Nov 5, 2006 14:41:33 GMT -5
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Post by bugsmom on Nov 18, 2006 16:52:51 GMT -5
Haven't been back to this thread in awhile, but just want to thank you all for your suggestions. We are still struggling but also making some progress. Josh's math teacher this year is really drilling them all almost daily...that has really helped. Seems that all the kids in his class are struggling with this...I was shocked, but not totally. Josh's teacher last year was just awful...I think I've mentioned this many times...I don't think they spent two weeks on multiplication...now all of the kids are having a hard time. My gosh they are 5th graders...I knew them all by 3rd grade! Anyway, the school principle actually took away this particular teachers math teaching to his 4th grade class this year because my son's class was so far behind. Now the math teacher Josh has this year, who teaches 5th thru 8th grade math, now is teaching the 4th grade too! Just validates my feelings about this teacher...time to retire! Anyway, thanks again for the tips...I'm going to try all of them.
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