We have reached the stage in maths where Antonia is learning multiplication tables – and enjoying it!  It’s the kind of thing that appeals to her.  I know there are lots of methods around, but here is the one we chose.

We have a set of dominoes that goes up to 12 | 12.  The ones we are working with go face down on the table and we pick them in random order.  Obviously we started with the easiest ones: anything multiplied by 0, or 1.  Then anything multiplied by 10, or 11 up to 11 x 9.  Then we did 2 and 5 which was relatively easy, since Antonia can already count in 2’s and 5’s.  After that we started taking out the easiest dominoes and adding new ones, one at a time.  Her choice of which domino to add is a bit eclectic, so she is not learning the tables in any particular order.  This may be a good thing.  Also with this method, she realises very easily that 2 x 9 and 9 x 2 are the same multiplicationa and don’t have to be learned twice.

I feel it’s going quite quickly, as we are doing the tables up to 12 x 12 and we are now down to 20 dominoes still to learn.  For some reason, the French schools seem to take about three years to get through the multiplication tables, but that seems excessive.  I’ve also noted that she is good at recalling the multiplications she knows when it come to doing problems in her maths book.   I think avoiding the rote learning of reciting multiplication tables in order may be helpful.