Mathematics and memorization can be difficult skills to learn. Simply lecturing to students and using the rote memory technique alone to drill multiplication tables into their heads are often not very effective. Below are alternative strategies for teaching times tables.
Around the World Times Tables
Students learn best when they have fun rather than when they perceive something to be a lesson or chore. Around the World Times Tables is an innovative classroom game to teach children times tables. Have students sit in a circle. The object of this game is for them to answer enough times table flash cards correctly to make it around the complete circle. Have one student start the game by standing behind the student clockwise to him. Hold up a multiplication flash card for any student to answer. If the standing student is the first one to answer the flash card correctly, she moves to stand behind the next student. The student keeps moving clockwise as she answers correctly until she completes a circle and returns to her seat. If another student answers the flash card correctly before the standing student, that student takes over by standing up behind the student clockwise to him, and the previously standing student sits in his chair. The first student to successfully complete a circle wins.
Dominoes Times Tables
Dominoes times tables are especially ideal for visual learners. Illustrate how multiplying is just like adding by multiplying dominoes in front of children. For instance, to illustrate how 2 x 2 is essentially the same concept as 2 + 2, place two sets of double dominoes side-by-side so children can see the concept. Have students make both addition and multiplication statements about the dominoes to better help them grasp the concept. This game is ideal for teaching doubles, such as 3 x 2, 4 x 2, 5 x 2, and so on.
Multiplication Bingo
Print out a multiplication table bingo card template and have students write any of the 25 numbers listed at the bottom of the template in their bingo squares (see Resources). Hold up a set of flash cards before the students, and instruct the students to place a marker on their squares that contain the correct product. After all students have placed their markers, tell the correct answer to ensure the students who placed markers did so correctly. The first student to get a Bingo, a full line of markers, wins.
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