We have reached the stage in maths where Antonia is learning multiplication tables – and enjoying it!\u00a0 It’s the kind of thing that appeals to her.\u00a0 I know there are lots of methods around, but here is the one we chose.<\/p>\n
We have a set of dominoes that goes up to 12 | 12.\u00a0 The ones we are working with go face down on the table and we pick them in random order.\u00a0 Obviously we started with the easiest ones: anything multiplied by 0, or 1.\u00a0 Then anything multiplied by 10, or 11 up to 11 x 9.\u00a0 Then we did 2 and 5 which was relatively easy, since Antonia can already count in 2’s and 5’s.\u00a0 After that we started taking out the easiest dominoes and adding new ones, one at a time.\u00a0 Her choice of which domino to add is a bit eclectic, so she is not learning the tables in any particular order.\u00a0 This may be a good thing.\u00a0 Also with this method, she realises very easily that 2 x 9 and 9 x 2 are the same multiplicationa and don’t have to be learned twice.<\/p>\n
I feel it’s going quite quickly, as we are doing the tables up to 12 x 12 and we are now down to 20 dominoes still to learn.\u00a0 For some reason, the French schools seem to take about three years to get through the multiplication tables, but that seems excessive.\u00a0 I’ve also noted that she is good at recalling the multiplications she knows when it come to doing problems in her maths book.\u00a0\u00a0 I think avoiding the rote learning of reciting multiplication tables in order may be helpful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We have reached the stage in maths where Antonia is learning multiplication tables – and enjoying it!\u00a0 It’s the kind of thing that appeals to her.\u00a0 I know there are lots of methods around, but here is the one we chose. We have a set of dominoes that goes up to 12 | 12.\u00a0 The … Continue reading Multiplication tables<\/span>