Ten minute tables with a number stick...
Jill Mansergh says “I’ll teach you your 17 times table in 10 minutes.” Now, there’s a challenge!
Using the Counting Stick to help children learn their tables
Jill Mansergh helps a group of trainees learn the 17 times table in ten minutes.
The video is taken from a lecture at Bath Spa University where ideas to help children learn number facts are explored.
Discussion
The 17 times table is demonstrated to ensure that the trainees go through the learning process. Trainees reflect on the process considering some of the following questions:
Did it work for you – if so what was it that enabled you to learn the multiples of 17?
Was it an enjoyable or a threatening experience?
If you were unable to join in with all the multiples could you join in with some of them? Was this experience OK?
If you were to do this with another times table in school, what would be the important things to remember?
I would hope that the following points come out of the discussion:
- The positivity – trainees are left in no doubt that they are going to be able to do this
- The ethos – its absolutely OK to go wrong
- The enjoyment – being part of a group that is succeeding
- The repetitive nature of the ‘patter’
- The links (doubling and halving) make between the multiples
- The visual, auditory and kinaesthetic nature of the exercise
- Constant visual reference - my left hand doesn’t move from the middle of the counting stick
- The pace – is there any advantage in going slower?
Frequently asked questions
Can you use this for any times table? Yes – however it needs thinking about carefully.
Doubling 34 to give 68 is easy. However, doubling 68 to give 136 doesn’t work for me which is why I say I can’t remember it. By that time the trainees are so keen to complete the task that they will remember it even if I can’t.
The 8 times table – doubling gives us 8, 16, 32, 64 so for 8 x 8 I would double.
However, looking at the multiples for 3, 6, and 9 eights we get 24, 48 and 72. For me the 72 doesn’t work very well so I would probably forget the answer to 9 x 8.
With the 7 times table we get a lovely pattern for 3, 6 and 9 sevens which are 21, 42, 63.
Does this help children with knowing the answer to 3 x 17?
This moves on to the next part of the process and we discuss the merits, methods and difficulties of chanting times tables.
Jill Mansergh
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