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*How* does your dc's math program teach multiplication?


smilesonly
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I know, open ended question!;)

 

Some questions to throw out....

 

Does it teach the times tables starting with....

 

0x0,0x1,0x2,0x3,etc...

1x0,1x1,1x2,1x3,etc..

2x0,2x1,2x2,2x3,etc..

 

Or, does it teach the "easier" tables...

 

0x_

2x_

5x_

 

Then, *how* does it explain the concept?

 

Teaching it's a short-cut to adding?

 

Teaching by groupings?

 

?????

 

Does it introduce math terms early on, such as factors?

 

Bottom line-how does your program actually go about the times tables and, how does it teach conceptually?

 

Thank you!

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I use RS math. It starts with skip counting. It teaches the concept using the abacus to show rows "taken" a number of times.

 

So, 4x5 is four beads (on a row) and five rows.

 

If you ask my ds what multiplication means he will say it's counting by certain number such as counting by 4's or counting by 6's.

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On this topic, I cannot say enough about Times Tales DVD by the way. My kids learned their multiplication facts in virtually no time by watching this DVD. It's not super high-end or anything, and it's campy, but it WORKS.

 

This DVD does not cover 0, 1, 2, 5, or 10. Those, my kids picked up from their math curriculum (TT) no problem (and just quickly calculate those rather than memorize yet, but that's OK). On the Times Tales DVD, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are covered with story and illustration mnemonics.

 

I don't even recall how TT handled it, but between TT and Times Tales multiplication/division is coming along smooth as silk in this house. (1st (TT3) and 3rd (TT4) grade)

Edited by zenjenn
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I use RS math. It starts with skip counting. It teaches the concept using the abacus to show rows "taken" a number of times.

 

So, 4x5 is four beads (on a row) and five rows.

 

If you ask my ds what multiplication means he will say it's counting by certain number such as counting by 4's or counting by 6's.

 

Uh, yes, duh! I meant to include skip counting!!:tongue_smilie::D

 

On this topic, I cannot say enough about Times Tales DVD by the way. My kids learned their multiplication facts in virtually no time by watching this DVD. It's not super high-end or anything, and it's campy, but it WORKS.

 

This DVD does not cover 0, 1, 2, 5, or 10. Those, my kids picked up from their math curriculum (TT) no problem (and just quickly calculate those rather than memorize yet, but that's OK). On the Times Tales DVD, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are covered with story and illustration mnemonics.

 

I don't even recall how TT handled it, but between TT and Times Tales multiplication/division is coming along smooth as silk in this house. (1st (TT3) and 3rd (TT4) grade)

 

I've heard of Times Tales and was aware of it using stories to teach. I was not aware dc learned their facts so quickly, though. Cool.

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MM does a basic intro at the end of grade 2 (very last chapter, and it's short). It starts with grouping objects. It does not deal with certain tables at this point - just random groups, including 2s, 3, 7s, etc. You're just drawing balls and circling them in groups, so not memorizing anything yet. Then it shows adding the groups together. Then it has them do "2 groups of 3 bears each => 2 x 3 = 6 => 3 + 3 = 6" type problems. Then it shows multiplying on a number line (skip counting, essentially).

 

In 3A, it goes over the same stuff, basically, to review. Then it goes into the tables in the following order: 2, 4, 5, 10, review of those, 3, 6, 11, 9, 7, 8, and 12. For each of those, they end up filling in a multiplication table. On the year-end test, they have to fill in an entire 12x12 multiplication table. I was shocked that my son finished it fairly quickly without complaining about too much writing. :lol:

 

Also, throughout, missing factor problems are included. It does talk about factor and product, though I don't remember when it introduces those terms. I know in the grade 4 book, it's regularly using the terms.

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MEP covers multiplication in Year 2. The concept is introduced as repeated addition early in the first term, but using words instead of the multiplication sign. The concept is spiralled two or three times before starting learning the tables in the second half of the year. There's also a fair amount of skip counting in the first half. The concepts are approached in a number of ways including grouping, repeated addition, factoring, and matching.

 

3 times 5 = 15 means five taken three times 5+5+5

 

All tables are covered in Y2 (starting with 2,5,10, then 3,6,9 and finally 7 and 8), as are prime factorization and division with remainders.

 

These types of questions, designed to get the student thinking about relationships between numbers, are not uncommon:

 

6 × 3 = _ x 9

 

Y2 is technically the equivalent of first grade in North America, but I think most homeschoolers use it for second.

Edited by nmoira
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MM does a basic intro at the end of grade 2 (very last chapter, and it's short). It starts with grouping objects. It does not deal with certain tables at this point - just random groups, including 2s, 3, 7s, etc. You're just drawing balls and circling them in groups, so not memorizing anything yet. Then it shows adding the groups together. Then it has them do "2 groups of 3 bears each => 2 x 3 = 6 => 3 + 3 = 6" type problems. Then it shows multiplying on a number line (skip counting, essentially).

 

In 3A, it goes over the same stuff, basically, to review. Then it goes into the tables in the following order: 2, 4, 5, 10, review of those, 3, 6, 11, 9, 7, 8, and 12. For each of those, they end up filling in a multiplication table. On the year-end test, they have to fill in an entire 12x12 multiplication table. I was shocked that my son finished it fairly quickly without complaining about too much writing. :lol:

 

Also, throughout, missing factor problems are included. It does talk about factor and product, though I don't remember when it introduces those terms. I know in the grade 4 book, it's regularly using the terms.

 

I like that! The progression makes a lot of sense. I just looked at the Light Blue examples-I like the skip counting using a number line.

 

Anyone else?:bigear:

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Not there yet, but we're using JUMP Math, which emphasizes skip counting, initially aided by fingers and later weaning off fingers with Mental Math. Meanwhile, we're doing pre-times-tables with an inexpensive British book for 5-7 year-olds that has kids draw groupings (ie four legs on each of ten horses) then skip-count, then figure out specific multiples.

Here's a PDF from JUMP that shows one skip-counting/finger-based method for learning times tables quickly. (scroll to page 17)

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SM teaches through skip counting, grouping, and easier times table order (2-5x, 10x, then 6x, 7x, 8x, 9x). The HIG also offers tricks: 4x is double 2x, 8x is double 4x, 6x is double 3x, 9x is one unit less than 10x, etc. The concept of skip counting is introduced in SM1, reinforced in SM2, then multiplication is really worked on in SM3.

 

Ds got the concept pretty quickly. I didn't push on memorization for some time but after a few months of working the concept, we did times table memorization. I made the times table sound like a rap and we danced around to it every morning for a few weeks. I started with 9x and worked backwards. Now, he's got the timestable down and I just do a refresher once or twice a week.

 

I also made the consonant song in OPGTR into a rap. It was the only way dd would do it with me. The silly things I do for my kids' education...

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I made the times table sound like a rap and we danced around to it every morning for a few weeks. I started with 9x and worked backwards. Now, he's got the timestable down and I just do a refresher once or twice a week.

 

I also made the consonant song in OPGTR into a rap. It was the only way dd would do it with me. The silly things I do for my kids' education...

 

Not silly at all!! You get an A+ in Teaching Performance in my book!! :hurray::D

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we use CLE. it starts of with skip counting pretty early. if i remember correctly, actual multiplication is introduced at the end of grade 2 - but it's very gradual. this year, my daughter also used times tales for multiplication, and it is awesome!! we used the book and preferred that. for constant review, we have flash cards and my daughter also enjoys games online. she knows them inside and out now through 12.

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I use RS math. It starts with skip counting. It teaches the concept using the abacus to show rows "taken" a number of times.

 

So, 4x5 is four beads (on a row) and five rows.

 

If you ask my ds what multiplication means he will say it's counting by certain number such as counting by 4's or counting by 6's.

 

RS starts multiplication way before this, though. It starts with learning odd and even numbers. When they learn odds and evens, they count by even numbers (the x2 table). Then in the process of learning place value, they count by 10's (the x10 table). Next comes counting by fives. This work includes money and time lessons.

 

The abacus is the most usual visual tool, but we have also built forms using plastic tiles. Most of the work is learning to count by 3's, 4's etc. For instance, first they learn to count by 3's. Then they write the x3 products in a table. Then they start reciting the facts after they write the table. It is worked on very gradually, and the tables slowly become automatic. My dd is learning her multiplication tables, but she doesn't even realize it. From her point of view, she's just learning to count by 3's (or whatever) super fast.

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Horizons teaches multiplication by correlating the topic to addition.

The mulitiplication tables are introduced gradually with concepts being repeated in the "spiraling" teaching techinique and drill repetition.

We have used Horizons from the beginning along with School House Rock and math games.

Dh and I are happy to report Dd has a firm grasp on the concept of mulitiplication.

For more information on Horizons Math you can visit their website at www.aop.org

:)

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I use RS math. It starts with skip counting. It teaches the concept using the abacus to show rows "taken" a number of times.

 

So, 4x5 is four beads (on a row) and five rows.

 

If you ask my ds what multiplication means he will say it's counting by certain number such as counting by 4's or counting by 6's.

 

same for us, works great

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We use Horizons here and have just gotten into the beginning pages of multiplication. Right now it is explaining multiplication and addition side-by-side. So there will be 2 columns with 5 dots each. And it shows "__ rows of ___ = 10"

and right below it states 5+5=10.

 

A few pages after that they begin teaching the 0x 1x and 2x. Prior to these lessons I would say they emphasized skip counting in an effort to try to make the multiplication tables automatic.

 

My kiddo freaked out when she saw the 1st multiplication work last week, so we are literally JUST getting into it.

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