Learning Multiplication Tables

[Penny Williams]

This discussion was originally started by user jes0411 in ADDitude’s now-retired community. The ADDitude editors have included it here to encourage more discussion.

My son is 11 and was diagnosed with ADHD and Aspergers when he was 6. He has serious memory issues and learning disabilities. Anyone have any ideas of how I can teach him his multiplication tables? He’s going into the 6th grade and the school doesn’t help. It’s up to me.

[Devon Frye]

This reply was originally posted by user whizinc in ADDitude’s now-retired community.

I was a staff assistant with a very bright young man who also didn’t know his multiplication tables as a freshman in high school. He was in an algebra/trig class. I was there for behavior help rather than academic. My question to you is does your son understand what it means to multiply? If he understands the concepts well, you may decide that this is not a battle you want to fight, and get the accommodation of being able to use a calculator in every math class.

[Devon Frye]

This reply was originally posted by user mckee in ADDitude’s now-retired community.

My son is 10 and knows some multiplication tables. I work with him by playing games such as bingo, and doing a page in a workbook.

[Devon Frye]

This reply was originally posted by user adhdmomma in ADDitude’s now-retired community.

We struggled a great deal with multiplication tables too. Going into 8th grade, my son still only has quick recall of about half the multiplication tables. It simply is what it is for him — in life he’ll have a calculator, so I’m not overly concerned. 😉

We used a multiplication quizzing app/game on the iPad. Just 5-10 minutes a day, maybe 4 days a week. The app kept track of his progress and got harder as he did better.

Here are some additional helpful ideas:
http://www.additude.com/adhd/article/11536.html (FOCABULARY sound awesome — I need to check that one out!)
http://www.additude.com/adhd/article/10867.html
http://www.additude.com/adhd/article/6605-3.html

If it’s a real barrier to his academic success, you can ask for an accommodation that he have multiplication tables, formulas, etc accessible to him while doing math work.

Penny
ADDconnect Moderator, Author on Parenting ADHD, Mom to teen boy with ADHD, LDs, and autism

[Devon Frye]

This reply was originally posted by user jes0411 in ADDitude’s now-retired community.

Thanks for all the good advice. I will definitely look into the websites and accommodations. Thanks again!

[Devon Frye]

This reply was originally posted by user dmebrown in ADDitude’s now-retired community.

Timez Attack by http://www.bigbrainz.com/ is a good game.

Also, Mister Numbers by http://www.patternplaymath.com may be a fun way to learn. Look at his YouTube videos for examples.

Finally, the book “Five Times Five is Not Ten” workbook by http://www.longevitypublishing.com/.

To start on a clean slate, I would purchase the workbook first, then follow it by the Timez Attack game.

Good luck with everything. My daughter is heading into the 9th grade and forgot a lot of her facts, so I we refreshed it with the Timez Attack game. Now we need to focus on fractions (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing).

[sandman2]

Well, this is a pretty old post. But, just in case, as a former math teacher in 5th,6th, and 7th grade, my main advice would be to keep it short, simple, and fun.
Games are great. Use flash cards – but only for a short period of time – one to three min. max. Work on just one set of numbers at a time, till they have it down and then go on to the next set. Use rewards only, No penalties for wrong answers. Use the flash cards at breakfast, in the car, in the bathroom, before tv or dinner, etc.
There are memory advantages to seeing and then writing down the answers. So having a bunch of pages of speed tests is helpful. But I would only do it infrequently….maybe as a way to show progress.
Remember this is just rote memory. Not looking for any kind of understanding. That is a whole different type of learning.

[slenderfender]

The best thing I’ve found for kids with adhd is Times Alive. It’s an iPad and iPhone app that teaches 0s – 9s with animated stories, songs, and games. It really works.

[Mtardaguila]

I use a book published through multiplication.com that employs kinesthetic and and visual memory to help individuals build multiplication math facts fluency. It works! Thanks to all for the great ideas!

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