Table of Contents
Times Tables
As we are getting to the end of the year, it is the best time to prepare for what lies ahead. For many students this will be their last year with you, however for others – their journey has just begun! As a primary school teacher, you have spent the whole year working hard to help your students discover a love of learning, preparing them for the next big step in their education. For those that still have a few more steps to take before they move on it might seem daunting approaching harder and more complicated maths content – however Emile is here to make things easier.
We have come up with three basic tips that will hopefully aid the process of teaching the times table – for more in-depth resources on the Times Table, why don’t you check out more of our resources?
Our Top 3 Tips
1 – Try Not to Overwhelm Yourself.
We know, easier said than done!
Life can be difficult and busy, dilemmas can arise from every side, however as stressful as it might get, we suggest keeping track of what your daily plans are: give yourself a to-do list and daily goals, avoiding the notorious feeling of stress. As a teacher you know what you are doing in your class, have faith in your abilities and experience!
If you are struggling to organise your content for your lessons talk to colleagues, or even join one of the many amazing Facebook groups for teachers, but don’t worry in silence! Work out what is making you stressed and set a plan of action on how to approach it.
With a to-do list you can work out what times tables you will be approaching for your year group along with content, worksheets and PowerPoints planned.
Why not download our FREE empty Times Table Graph to fill in with your students. Hang it up on your classroom wall, so students can use it to remember the tables.
2 – Engaging Resources.
As a newly qualified teacher, you will come across teaching materials and resources of a variety of quality every day. Let us tell you, it’s not easy at all to find one that best fits your class – subject, and difficulty, never mind one that suits you and your pupils! Here are the two criteria that we always use when choosing a resource:
Engaging: Students are easily distracted it can sometimes be hard to deliver a class to students who are not interested in the content presented. Therefore, it is important for you to choose resources that will fully immerse your students in their learning. So, whatever you use, whatever activity, whatever resource, make sure it engages the students. Here are some engaging ideas for your classroom:
- Use Time Tables graph sheets and let your students fill them in! This can serve as a fun group classroom display project.
- Start with the easiest ones, these are usually easier to learn due to the patterns. You can use fingers, small objects and pictographs to get the hang of the 2, 5 and 10 Times Table.
- Teach your children tricks! Starting by putting a finger down to learn the 9 times table. For example, to figure out 9 x 1 you would spread all 10 fingers in front of you and put down one, you’re then left with 9 fingers! For more information on this trick, check out our 9 times table blog!
- Songs are also a great way to engage students in learning! YouTube is full of music-based learning, this one is by far our favourite. Mr. DeMaio has plenty of content on his YouTube, have a look!
- Impact on learning: Does it help students understand, introduce new concepts or get students to practise? Is there real data on impact? You can keep track of your students learning by assessing their knowledge. This doesn’t have to be through formal tests, you can hold daily activities such as:
- Answer before you enter, before morning class have students line up outside the classroom. Before they enter, ask them a simple multiplication – if they get it right, they can go and sit down, if not they have to go to the back of the queue and try again. Remember, if a student is struggling it might mean that a different approach is needed!
- Include the Times Tables in other maths work this way they are constantly reminded of them.
- Include multiplication at the end of term summative assessments.
3 – Use Technology!
Technology is in every classroom, but is it used?
There are some fantastic apps and resources online that engage and educate. Most do the marking and tracking for you, and most allow students to progress at their speed. So if you want to reinvigorate a lesson, take a look at what apps are out there.
From our case studies, we have found an incredible increase in children’s learning through the Learning with Emile app – not only is this app engaging and fun to use to learn the Times Table, but also it includes an MTC Checker, and it’s the perfect place to keep tabs on how your students are engaging with their subject and a safe place for your marking.
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Multiplication Tables Check: How To Best Prepare Your Year 4 Class
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