I learned my multiplication tables in 1975 when I was in 4th grade. Our teacher taught them to us by rote memory: 2 ones are 2, 2 twos are 4, 2 threes are 6, and so on. We had to race against each other every Friday. She would give us a set, such as "the sixes." Whoever could say them the fastest won. Fast forward to 2011: students still learn by rote, albeit at an earlier age (most start in 2nd grade), but so many students continue to struggle with basic multiplication facts. It is important now that students be able to process and write multiplication facts quickly, not just say them. They are often timed daily with multiplication drills. Students with learning disabilities, especially those involving short and/or long term memory, struggle even more because of these demands.
How to Teach Multiplication Facts to Students with Learning Problems--Visual Learners
The effective teaching of multiplication facts depends in large part on the type of learner the student is. If the student is a visual learner (one whose greatest learning strengths come from taking in information visually), picture cards and stories involving the multiplication tables are definitely worth a try. One of the most effective programs I have used is "Times Tables the Fun Way," where each multiplication fact has an interesting, quirky story along with a visual to help students remember the fact.
For example, the fact 4 X 4 uses a story about a boy who drives up a mountain in a 4-by-4 truck. He must be 16 in order to get a license to drive. The picture card shows the 4 X 4 fact and a truck. It's amazing how quickly the students pick up on the stories. The difficult part of using this program is that the picture cues must eventually be taken away, or "faded", since students cannot always rely on them. I usually faded the pictures with auditory cues ("4-by-4 truck"), and then faded the auditory cues. This program is also available as a computer program, although I personally enjoyed teaching the print version much more. Check it out at City Creek Publications.
Teaching Multiplication to Auditory Learners
Auditory learners respond very well to music and rhymes. There are many musical versions of the times tables available on CD, as well as a large repertoire of music genres to choose from. Waltzes, rap, hip-hop, country--at some point in time all have been made in multiplication tunes. A great site to explore some samples is Songs for Teaching. Another excellent way to teach the auditory learner is to use silly rhymes, oftentimes made up by the students themselves. For example, a cute poem for 6 X 7 (which is one of the hardest facts for kids to remember) is:
Six and Seven are sad and blue.
They make number forty-two.
Another, for 8 X 8 (highly effective because it's gross !):
I ate and I ate and I got sick on the floor.
Eight times eight is sixty-four!
Auditory learners also respond to oral prompts from the teacher, such as "Count by twos to find that answer," and "Whisper your sixes until you come to that fact." Auditory learners must constantly hear the fact to internalize it.
Kinesthetic and Tactile Learning Methods for Multiplication Facts
TouchMath presents multiplication as a skip-counting method. Students learn to skip count all of the number, starting with 2s and going to 9s. At first, touchpoints are used on the numbers as reminders. The student touches each point with his finger or pencil tip as he skip counts. This method is even more effective when the skip counts are put into song form.
There are several multiplication tricks using fingers, and if you have never learned the trick for 9s, students will tell you it is one of the best! Using your fingers, you can solve any of the 9s multiplication facts through 9 X 10. A good site to use to learn this trick is Finger Multiplication. Many years ago, I watched a student do her 6, 7, 8 and 9 tables with her fingers. This excellent trick can be found here and is definitely worth the time and effort it takes to teach it.
Of course, using chips to form arrays always helps students understand the concept behind multiplication, but this can be very time-consuming.
A few other multiplication tricks:
- This is the one less = nine method
- Subtract one from the number you are multiplying by. 9 x 5 (One less than 5 is 4)
- The first number in the answer is 4. The two numbers that make up the answer will equal 9. So 4 + __ = 9 (5)
- The last number in the answer is 5.
- 9 x 5 = 45
- One less than 5 is 4 (45)
- The answer adds up to nine. 4 + 5 = 9
- Here is another example
- 9 x 8
- One less than 8 is 7. So the first number in the answer is 7.
- 7 + 2 equals 9. So the second number in the answer is 2.
Tricks with 11s:
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.
Use this 11s 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
Putting it All Together
Of course, learning basic multiplication facts is just the beginning. In this age of timed tests, standardized testing and strict retention policies, students must be able to produce accurately and quickly. By using these strategies and by practicing daily, students with learning disabilities can learn their multiplication tables, making it much easier for them as they progress to higher math. Once the basic facts are learned, move to timing to improve speed. I always timed my students "up," meaning that I used a stopwatch, recorded how long it took them on their first try, and then had them try to beat their score each time. It took the stress away from hearing the dreaded timer bell go off.
Learning times tables does not have to be frustrating. Keep in mind that once students master their 2s, 5s and 10s, most of the tables are already learned! Use these strategies to help your students become multiplication experts.
Tina Halbert - Tina M. Halbert, M.Ed., NBCT
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