Friday, May 17th 2024

Susan Jones’s website, www.resourceroom.net/math , has posted a review of my multiplication book. We agree on the philosophy that people do need to memorize the multiplication table, and know the multiplication facts automatically.

I am glad that she mentioned the beginning of the book-I discuss the importance of making sure students understand what the the multiplication fact means before expecting them to memorize answers. Also, I show how to introduce the different strategies.

Number lines, charts, counters, and calculators are all great tools to introduce multiplication with, but the bottom line is that fluency, or speed and knowing the correct answers to the multiplication facts is essential! Calculators can be used when students are working on higher level math-only after the math facts are learned, and after students can demonstrate on paper what the calculator does for them.

For example, be able to solve the long division for 367 divided by 71. In order to complete this calculation, a student needs to be able to divide, multiply, and subtract!

Another example of the importance of understanding the calculation before depending on a calculator: Can a student multiply 4.11 by .9 correctly and understand why the answer is less than 4 and not about 36?

We also agree that as the facts are being taught, they need to be practiced within the rest of the curriculum, not just in isolation to learn rotely. For example, after a student knows 2×8 and 8×7, the student can work on math problems, including word math or story problems, that have the problem:

72
x 8

Also, the student should see that this is different than

72
– 8

and

72
+ 8

I have more tips to teach math facts on my website: www.FiveTimesFiveIsNotTen.com

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