Examples of what pupils should know and be able to do
Respond rapidly to oral and written questions like:
- Nine sevens
- How many eights in 48?
- 6 times 7
- 5 multiplied by 9
- Multiply 9 by 6
- 7 multiplied by 0
- What is the fifth multiple of 7?
- How many sevens divide into 42?
Probing questions
If someone has forgotten the 8 times table, what tips would you give them to help work it out?
What other links between times tables are useful?
If you know that 4 × 7 = 28, what else do you know?
NOTE: The easiest way to establish whether a child knows the multiplication facts is to look for evidence of rapid recall in a range of contexts.
What if pupils find this a barrier?
Pupils will need to be taught specific strategies to help with 6, 7, 8 and 9 times tables as they will have had less practice with these earlier on.
Encourage pupils to develop strategies to work from tables that they know, to derive others.
See Teaching mental calculation strategies to level 5 pages 33-35 for the following and other ideas:
write 7 × 8 on the board. Invite pupils to explain how they would work it out. e.g.
I know that 7 × 7 = 49 so 7 more.
Find 7 × 2 then double and double again.
I know 8 × 8 = 64 so 7 less than that.
By counting up 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56.
I know 5 × 8 so I need to add on 2 × 8.
Show pupils all the 10 × 10 multiplication facts displayed in a table and ask them to highlight the ones that they can do. Then discuss those that they can work out easily, and finally discuss those that pupils will need to learn.
Use Teaching mental calculation strategies loop cards set 9 - Acrobat pdf document (25Kb) to practise
TL4Y7Mathematics Challenge 3 - Acrobat pdf document (682Kb)
Refer to Teaching mental calculation strategies to L5 - Acrobat pdf document (25Kb) pages 31-44.
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