Teach Your Child Multiplication Basics

Multiplication basics and division basics are some of the toughest to learn throughout the elementary educational experience. The first step to teaching your children multiplication basics is to explain what multiplication really is. Multiplication is basically adding a number together as many times as the number is multiplied by. Therefore if the multiplication question is 8×6, you are merely adding 8 together 6 times. Consequently to learn these instructions children should at least be in the third grade and have complete comprehension for addition facts and understand adding multiple numbers.

Grades 3rd-6th
Flash cards are a great way to help your child learn multiplication through sight memory. Any multiplication flash cards will do and you should work with your child for at least fifteen minutes per night. Start with the smaller numbers first, start with the ones tables and do not move on until your child has memorized all the ones.

Although the ones are simple, as anything times one is the other number. These, and other shortcuts, are another way of teaching your child the multiplication table. Along with anything times zero is zero and the nines table short cut. If you don’t know this shortcut place your hands out in front of you, with the back side facing you (palms facing the floor), starting from the left count the number of times multiplied by nine. For example for nine times four, start with your pinky on your left hand and count four fingers, the fourth finger should be bent toward your palm. The finger that is bent over will split the numbers, count the numbers standing on the left side of the bent finger, which is 3, and then count the numbers that are on the right side of the bent finger, that is 6. Therefore when you bend the fourth finger you have the number 36, nine times four is thirty-six.

There are a number of various multiplication songs that can be memorized and sung to remember that number times the others. Such as the two’s song:

2…4…6…8 and 10
12…14…16…
18…20…22…24
That is all for the twos, there isn’t any more.

Use these and other songs to help them remember the various other multiplication tables. You can find a variety of helpful websites that provide a number of songs located beneath the resources section of this article.

Main points to address:

• Use flash cards
• Sing multiplication songs
• Show easy shortcuts

Resources
Resources that can help you in your venture include:

• Math Worksheet Wizard – http://www.mathworksheetwizard.com/
• Multiplication tricks – http://www.angelfire.com
• Interactive Multiplication table – http://www.aplusmath.com
• Math resource room – http://www.resourceroom.net

Multiplication Songs

• Garden of Praise – http://gardenofpraise.com/multi.htm
• Pro Teacher – http://www.proteacher.net
• Teach Cool – http://www.teachcool.com
• Multiplication songs – http://www.nuview.k12.ca.us

Posted in Education.

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