Teaching Multiplication Facts Using a number line

You should only venture into teaching Multiplication Facts when the concept of multiplication is fully understood.

Understanding multiplication is essential to your child's elementary math success.  However, simply knowing the facts is not enough.  Every child should fully understand what multiplication is first.  

Learning multiplication in table format will not be helpful to them when they move into areas such as algebra and geometry.

When do kids start to learn multiplication?

Believe it or not - Kindergarten.  If you have had a kindergartner come home singing 'skip counting' songs, you have heard them tooting their multiplication facts!  Unfortunately, they don't know they are doing it!<

The first numbers kids learn to skip count with are generally 2's, 5's and 10's.  So let's look at the 2's on the number line.

Multiplying by 2 using skip counting.

We are going to start at zero and count in 2's until we get to the number 10!

How many times did we count?  5 times, so...

counting by 2's, 5 times gives us 10; or ...

5 times 2 is 10; or ...

2 added to itself 5 times equals 10.

If you child has learned to count by 2's, 5's and 10's (being able to count all numbers between 1 & 12 to 100 is recommended), it's time to introduce the concept of multiplication with the help of manipulatives

As you can see, by repeating this exercise for all the different numbers from 1 to 12 will teach your student the concept of multiplication, and the actual multiplication facts at the same time.

If your child enjoys learning through activities.

Use this procedure, but actually have lots of little things available for them to handle - such as buttons, Legos or little toys.

If you are skip counting by 2's - have them place 2 buttons on the table every time they count, then count the total amount of buttons.

2 buttons 5 times should give them a pile of 10 buttons!


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