Students shouldn't have to use calculators to compute basic multiplication facts.
Knowing multiplication facts is a skill that students need in order to be successful with more complicated math. Educators have developed countless effective methods to help students learn these facts. Some of the methods have been practiced for several generations and some are relatively new, with more methods still being developed. The bottom line is that students must understand the fundamentals of the operation of multiplication, they must commit basic facts to memory and they must practice with multiplication facts to do so. Most teaching strategies that incorporate these concepts should be successful.
Instructions
1. Teaching multiplication as repeated addition is a popular strategy.
Teach the concept of multiplication as repeated addition. For instance, 8 x 5 is the same as adding eight to itself a total of eight times. Students should understand how multiplication works. And even though multiplying through repeated addition can get tricky when multiplying fractions or negative numbers, the concept works perfectly when students start to learn their multiplication facts with positive, whole numbers.
2. Practice "count-bys." When students count by twos or count by fives, they are practicing their multiplication facts and learning multiples. A student that can quickly recite "two, four, six, eight..." is reciting his "twos" facts.
3. Teach the commutative property of multiplication, which explains that the order of numbers in a multiplication fact does not change the product (answer). For instance, 3 x 5 is the same as 5 x 3.
4. Teach students that in every situation, any number times zero is zero.
Explain that multiplying a number times zero will always result in a product of zero.
Also emphasize the identity property of one, which states that any number multiplied by one will not change.
5. Practice with flash cards. Flash card practice has been effective in teaching multiplication facts for generations. It does not necessarily help students understand how multiplication works, but it definitely helps them memorize their multiplication facts.
6. Play multiplication games. Games provide multiplication practice, have a built-in feedback system (students know when their answers are right or wrong), can help students work together to teach each other and they can be enough fun to keep students well engaged and happy to be practicing math.
Tags: multiplication facts, repeated addition, their multiplication, their multiplication facts, help students, instance same, multiplication repeated