You are doing a great job to help him. He might find it helpful to listen to multiplication rap or other versions of songs.

As a math teacher, every year I have students who benefit from having a multiplication chart handy on their desk. For example, when we are working on long multiplication using decimals, I’m making sure they know the steps to lead to the final answer. Some students need help with their basic facts, but know exactly what to do to add the zero place holders, put in the decimal point, etc. I’m not going to let a student who is hung up on the basic facts sit there and struggle through it. He/she can use a chart, and show me they know the lesson.

The facts will come when he’s ready. Your at-home practice is helpful in making this happen.

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Start with the 10 times table (yes i know that sounds counter intuitive) it’s the easiest to learn, then do the 5’s. Next do 2’s and then 7 – yes that’s odd but you link it to 5’s and 2’s so 3 X 7 is the same as 3 X 2 + 3 X 5

It’s funny that you would ask this. I was at a Rotary Club meeting and some of the people were talking about kids not knowing math without using a calculator. I joked how I failed math every year without fail because I didn’t know ANY facts. I could add and subtract using my fingers and that was it. Guess that’s why I didn’t go into a field that required math. After I started working I started to tutor kids with learning disabilities. I started learning my “facts” and now play a game with the kids to see who is faster them with a calculator or me doing the problem in my head. Be kind, if you get bugged get up and walk away. It will take time. If you can make it fun, do so. Check with his teacher for some hints, she’s been trained for this, lastly always smile kids hate a grump.

Facts are just a matter of patterns. Instead of learning all of the 2’s then the 3’s then the 4’s etc. Teach fact families. For example: 2×4=8 4×2=8 . By the time you get to the 6’s you know all of the facts except 6×6, 6×7 6×8 6×9. When you get to the 7’s you know all of them except 7×7 7×8 7×9. When you get tot he 8’s you know all of them except 8×8. 8×9 etc See the pattern? Then play lots of games all the time. when in the car mult. 2 of the numbers on the license plate in front of you. If the plate numbers are BN 345 . Select two of the numbers like 3×4= 12. Then 4×5= 20 or 3×5 =15. Take the pressure off the kid. He will get the fact when he understands the pattern. Hope this helps. RELAX

I don’t think he is alone, but he’ll find all of his math easier from now on if he is able to memorize these! You can make flash cards more “fun”, but trying to make it a game by timing them (ok, it took 3 minutes to go through the 7’s…let’s see if we can do it in less next time….keep track and if you hit a specific target–arrange a little celebration–an ice cream cone or something.)

I would definitely teach the “tricks” for the correct answer. If you aren’t familiar with them, you could just ask here–I’m sure you’ll get more listings than you could possibly use :o)

I would also practice counting by 3’s, 4’s, 5’s….even if you have to use a math chart.

He is lucky to have a good sister like you helping him!

Hi, remember that being ADD means attention deficit. Repetition in short increments will help – say set a timer for 15 minutes of work with a ten minute break. Then another … etc. Work on 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s first. You might even go back to using manipulatives – such as giving him a pile of pennies and asking him to group them into piles of 5 – how many piles does he have – show him how it is related – # of piles of groups of 5 pennies. I also like to do the multiplication table writing, but do numbers 1-3 to begin. You could also do a color table, such as showing only multiples of 2 and coloring those squares in blue. Then do one for only 3’s, color them all yellow. Make things as visual as possible. Be patient. It will come eventually. Good Luck – Melanie

If you can make the math procedures important to your brother, he will learn.

When I was a little boy who hated math in 4th grade our teacher kept the ones who had not turned in math homework that week stay inside from recess.

She pulled out the baseball cards she had collected (taken away from us) and was asking us questions about positions and teams and the like. We explained all that to her. Then she asked about all the numbers in the back, “What is this batting average?” We told her that .350 was pretty good and below .200 was pretty bad. She asked if we knew how to compute the batting average. Well there were a bunch of boys that were motivated to do long division and multiplication.

That summer our little league teams had a lot of stats.

for the nine’s times tables… the one I have most troubles with I use the finger method

left hand , right hand

left one finger down (9X1) and 9 fingers up = 9

9X2 2 left fingers down, 8 fingers standing = 18

9X3 three fingers down, 7 fingers up = 27

etc…..

also I teach the ‘Easy’ times tables first

eg. 10’s, 5’s and 2’s I leave the 8’s and 7’s till last.

you dont have to teach them in numerical order.

Write down the times tables for (eg 3times tables) and ask the student to colour any patterns they notice. eg the numbers go up by threes. etc….

And finally just use timetables in everyday life. If I have three pieces of bread and I need two spreads of jam for each, how many times will i need to stick the knife in the jam jar. etc…. Im sure you can be really creative..

Hope this helps

That was me too. Get together that mult square chart and fill it in over and over with repetition they will get easier. Go over the tricks for 11 and 9 and others like that, you may be surprised that the brain is only slow certain ways. Find what way suits him, for me it ended up being writing over and over again and using tricks. Find all of them online or from a math teacher.

Good luck!