Does anyone have a secret for memorizing math facts? My son (9) is going into 4th grade. Over the summer, it is imperative that he get his multiplication facts, at the very least. He had trouble with his addition and subtraction facts. I just keep getting told to do flash cards. Really? I have done those over and over. He just cannot retain the information. I was thinking about trying it while bouncing a basketball. Has anyone else had this problem or have any good ideas?
Thanks!
There's a slew of videos featuring songs and tricks on YouTube on multiplication, like these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaiIZU2BIwg&feature=fvwrel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eFnzNw10Qc&feature=related
or search for the topic Multiplication on YouTube's search bar.
some kids find it easier memorizing the songs than the table.
Hi Debbie,
I know some people may not agree with me but believe it or not it was a great motivator. To this day I still don't know how my little sly one did it. At about the age of 8 or 9 Joshua found out he really like playing his video games. Well as well all know 3rd grade is where math and math word problems increase. Joshua struggled with the multiplication tables and at his school it was necessary to learn the multiplication tables up to 10. I told him that if he learned (and I do mean learned) the tables up to 10 I would get him a video game he wanted. I stressed to him that he needed to learn them not just memorize them and do a brain dump. I told him he would need multiplication from that point on so it was best to learn them. I also told him he would be tested by me randomly any time the mood hit me.
Much to my surprise the little dude learned them and I test him all the time now and he still knows them. I added the other tables throughout the year and the beginning of fourth grade and he learned all the way to the 13 or 14 multiplication tables.
I realized that with boys it is about competition and challenge. He has a gift I don't think he realizes he has. To this day Joshua is very proficient with adding and subtracting.
Let me know how it goes! I know he will do just fine.
God Bless and Hugs to you all!
Great post Debbie!
Use sports as a way for him to remember things, like adding points and subtracting the like with his toys. We tried to make learning fun for our girls. Some of the math now is just so frustrating. It is hard for us adults to grasp too. If all fails get a student that is good in math to help out. Have your teacher suggest one to help him. There are games that help with remembering counting too. Good Luck, got you in my prayers.
Try the Montessori way. Have them write it out in big numbers on a white board. Then have them trace it with their finger while they erase it. Make sure they are saying it out loud while writing and erasing them. They have to say the whole problem ie 7 x 4=28 etc. Start with zeros and work up from there. Don’t skip. If they get stuck on a problem , like 2 x7, go back to 2 x 1 and start againfrom there. They actually don’t teach this way anymore. It’s just skip counting anymore and I still see middle school kids skip counting and using their fingers to count how many times they’ve skipped.
That sounds like a great idea. We will give it a try. He really needs hands-on manipulatives. He truly doesn't have his addition/subtraction facts yet. I have a white board so will give this a try! Thanks!
Erin Hurley said:
Try the Montessori way. Have them write it out in big numbers on a white board. Then have them trace it with their finger while they erase it. Make sure they are saying it out loud while writing and erasing them. They have to say the whole problem ie 7 x 4=28 etc. Start with zeros and work up from there. Don't skip. If they get stuck on a problem , like 2 x7, go back to 2 x 1 and start againfrom there. They actually don't teach this way anymore. It's just skip counting anymore and I still see middle school kids skip counting and using their fingers to count how many times they've skipped.
I know this is an older discussion, but there are some computer games about math facts that may be much more engaging and entertaining than flashcards. Some of them are free -- try mangahigh, for example.
This comes up a lot on homeschool discussion groups, and a lot of parents agree that sometimes a child just isn't neurologically ready to master math facts. Using "cheat sheet" tables of facts is a necessary accommodation for some and can allow these kids to continue to master math concepts instead of having to drill the facts continuously. It doesn't mean that the ability will never be developed; it's just that sometimes it develops as late as age 13, not when school may believe it should develop.
I hope you will update and let us know how your son is faring now, and whether you have found solutions.
I read an article from an ADHD college student once where he said the only way he got through college was to pick a student in each class to compete with, and to try his darndest to beat the other student's score on every test. You are definitely on to something here... :)
Leslie Porter said:
Hi Debbie,
I know some people may not agree with me but believe it or not it was a great motivator. To this day I still don't know how my little sly one did it. At about the age of 8 or 9 Joshua found out he really like playing his video games. Well as well all know 3rd grade is where math and math word problems increase. Joshua struggled with the multiplication tables and at his school it was necessary to learn the multiplication tables up to 10. I told him that if he learned (and I do mean learned) the tables up to 10 I would get him a video game he wanted. I stressed to him that he needed to learn them not just memorize them and do a brain dump. I told him he would need multiplication from that point on so it was best to learn them. I also told him he would be tested by me randomly any time the mood hit me.
Much to my surprise the little dude learned them and I test him all the time now and he still knows them. I added the other tables throughout the year and the beginning of fourth grade and he learned all the way to the 13 or 14 multiplication tables.
I realized that with boys it is about competition and challenge. He has a gift I don't think he realizes he has. To this day Joshua is very proficient with adding and subtracting.
Let me know how it goes! I know he will do just fine.
God Bless and Hugs to you all!
Just in case anyone else is looking for help - My son's teacher gave me a method with flash cards that has been truly helping. She used it with her own child who was struggling and so she passed it along to me. Say today is the day we work on the 7s. I hold up 7X3 and actually say SEVEN TIMES THREE. After 3 seconds, if he doesn't give me the answer, I say 21 and put it in a pile. I separate what he knows from what he doesn't. He is still struggling and we work hard, but this is actually helping. I start by having him go through the cards and saying the fact out loud and flipping over and saying the answer out loud. Then move on the the above stage. Then, I give him some written quizzes I found online. Oh, and we made our own flash cards so only one fact on the front and one answer on the back. No distractions for him that way.