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Need tool for Multiplication tables


Mallorie
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Other than flash cards. My 4th grader is having a really hard time retaining his multiplication facts. We've done flash cards, times tables, computer games. I need something that's going to help him retain these!! It's our first year homeschooling, he previously had a teacher who showed him circles with dots in them...I'm not sure exactly what he's doing, but it's long and tedious and not even effective.

 

Any ideas? He's using R&S Math 4. It's a solid curriculum, but I feel like we're muddling through, and he's not enjoying this. Is curriculum the issue? We even took a three week break from it to go through a multiplication workbook. He's not much better. :confused:

 

Help!

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Not sure it's a tool, but TIME helped my youngest and lots and lots of problems. I laminated a times table for him to use as a crutch/aide for as long as he needed it. He understood the concept, but he needed the aide at his side so he could move on. Eventually, he no longer needed it. He still will look at 7 x8 and say, well "4 x 7 is 28, so double that....is 56." He's done very well in math and about to finish up Singapore Math 6B even without fully memorizing his tables.

 

hth

K

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Have you looked at Timez Attack? My four older children enjoy learning their times tables this way and it keeps track of their progress.

 

Have you tried skip counting? Story problems and having him act out the problems with manipulatives.

 

Right Brain Math looks like a fun and different way. I plan to start this with my children in a few weeks.

Edited by Homeschooling6
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One of my kids had a break through this week that really helped her with a couple of the harder tables. Writing down the patterns for each table. Like the 8's table. All the answers end with 0, 8, 6, 4, 2. Always in that order. So if she can remember that, she knows that the answers will be 0 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72. Same for the other tables; figure out that short little pattern that the answers end with and you can figure out any multiplication. That just made it click for her.

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I've had good luck posting one table at a time (so 7x0 to 7x 12) by the toilet and by thier beds. Some one else posted that they put them on the fridge and you had to read it before you opened the door. In the car is another good place.

 

It just takes a lot of repetition.

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Memorize in Minutes (http://www.multiplication.com)

 

- Consistent mnemonic device

- Covers 2 -9 timetables.

- Fun story.

 

My 3rd grade son who is not good at memorization memorizes his time table in 1.5 months. My 2nd grade daughter decided she likes the stories and made herself memorize the multiplication tables in 1 week (daughter is v. good in memorization).

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Thank you for all the help! I am going to sit down later and go through all the suggestions. I did click the link for the clock already, that is a project that I can do with all materials I have on hand...big bonus. (actually, he'll make it with me;) )

 

Honestly, this being our first year, this is kind of a blessing. It makes me really grateful that we can slow down and *get this* before moving on. That wouldn't happen in school.

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