Importance of Multiplication Tables for Children's Math Skills

Ashton West End Multiplication Table check meeting 2022

Why are times tables important? Times tables are fundamental to support children and under pin everything within Maths. It is vital that all children know their multiplication facts up to 12 x 12. Knowing the multiplication facts up to 12x 12, will give them the essential knowledge needed to be proficient with Years 5 and 6 Curriculum and help in their mathematic future in High school.

When the multiplication tables check will be carried out There will be 3-week window in June for the check to be completed. Monday 6th June Friday 24th June. There is no set day to administer the check. Children are not expected to take the check at the same time.

How the multiplication tables check is carried out The check will be fully digital and take place on screen. Children will be able to use school s desktop computers to complete the check. Answers will be entered by pressing the numbers on the computer keyboard

How the multiplication tables check is carried out The multiplication check will take less than 5 minutes per pupil. Children will get 6 seconds from the time the question appears to input their answer. There will be 3 practice questions followed by 25 questions with a 3 second pause in-between questions.

The questions Each pupil will be randomly assigned a set of questions. The 25 questions one child will receive will not be repeated to another child. Children will only have multiplication problems in their check (no division). Pupils will not see their individual results when they complete the check.

During the check There will always be questions from the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 multiplication tables in each check. There will be no questions from the 1 times table (i.e 1 x 8 or 8 x 1). The 6, 7, 8, 9 and 12 times tables are more likely to be asked. The reversal of questions will not feature in the same check. E.g ( 3 x 10 and 10 x 3)

Multiplication is commutative 3 x 2 is the same as 2 x 3. Children need to understand that multiplication can be completed in any order to produce the same answer. Sometimes this link needs to be made explicit. Product x product = factor

For practice You can use this free multiplication table check which will give you an idea of the speed at which children will be asked questions: https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/r esource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check

How can you help at home? We practise our timetables daily at school; we would love for your children to practise with you at home so that they feel confident when completing the test. The easiest way is to quiz your child For example 8x6 is?

Encourage children to play Times table Rockstars as often as possible. Small 5 minute daily sessions will help children to learn times tables more than one long session a week. The soundcheck is very similar to the multiplication check. Quiz your child at home regularly. This could be when making dinner or on the journey to school.

Display a poster with all of the times tables facts on at home. We teach lots of tricks to help the children remember the times tables. You could learn a trick together. - Create flash cards with your children and let them play with friends, siblings, grandparents. They could write the answer on the back and test themselves.

We use lots of songs to teach our times tables in school. Children can recognise these from YouTube by typing in for example, the 4 times table song. Let them sing along with those at home. Children could also make their own times tables. Chanting their times table is an excellent way to learn them. They could do this each time they walk up the stairs

Any questions?

Thank you for attending, we hope you have found it useful!