Welcome to the Mental Multiplication Skill Development Page!
This page is a little different from the other Skill Development Pages. Here, the goal is for you to be able to automatically recall all times tables from 0x0 to 12×12. There are 169 times tables in total, but you’ll be surprised how many you already know and how many fantastic strategies there are to learn them and recall them automatically.
Remember, learning takes time and effort. Invest your time, give your best effort and you will achieve great things!
Before you get started…
The image on the right shows you the required knowledge for this skill. If you are super confident in your ability to answer these questions you’re ready to move onto the steps for learning your times tables. For more information (including answers to each question) just click on an image and you’ll be connected to the skill’s web page.
Step 1: Using a Times Table Grid
Activity 1. Introductory video
The below video shows you how to use a times table grid to calculate times tables from 0x0 to 12×12. The examples within the video are based on the first five practice skill questions for the next activity.
Activity 2. Complete and correct some practice questions
There are 20 questions below that you can complete to practice this skill. Refer to a times table grid to support you in this activity. The answers to these questions are included below. Check your answer after each question to make sure you are correctly carrying out the skill. If you have trouble on any of the first five questions watch (or re-watch) the video in Activity 1 for extra guidance.
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Activity 3. Quiz
The five questions below will be used to see if you have achieved the goal of being able to complete questions on this skill on your own. There are no answers provided as it is hoped that at this point you are so confident in your knowledge of this skill that you are certain that your answers are correct. If you need more information or practice on this skill to get to this level of confidence have (another) go at the above activities. Once confident, complete these 5 questions and submit them to your teacher.
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Step 2: Memorising the Skip Count
Activity 1. Introductory video
The video below discusses some of the wonderful patterns in numbers that will help you memorise the skip counts for each times table.
Activity 2. Practice the skip count
Practice writing out the skip counts for 10, 2, 5, 11, 9, 3, 4, 8, 6, 12 and 7. The answers to these questions are included below. Check your answer after each question to make sure you are correctly carrying out the skill. If you have trouble on any of the questions watch (or re-watch) the video in Activity 1 for extra guidance.
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Activity 3. Quiz
The video below completes each skip count at a rate of one number per second. Watch the video and count along. If you can keep up that means you’ve learnt this skill. Congratulations!! If you have trouble with one or more of the patterns repeat activities 1 and 2 focusing on the values that need more work. When ready, try this quiz again. It might take some time, though with effort you will get there!
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Step 3: Rules for Efficiently Calculating Times Tables
Activity 1. Introductory video
The video below explains some rules for computing each times table efficiently. Watch the video and complete the practice questions as suggested.
Activity 2. More practice
Complete the times table practice using the strategy outlined in the previous video. Practice your times tables in the following order: 10, 2, 5, 11, 9, 3, 4, 8, 6, 12, 7 and square numbers. As you go, make a list of times tables that were difficult to calculate. You will practice these in Activity 3. An image modelling how to set up your practice is included below.
Activity 3. Refine your skills
For the times tables you had difficulty calculating in Activity 2 I suggest you work on committing these to memory. The video below shows a few strategies for memorising times tables. Enjoy!
Step 4: Working Towards Automatic Recall
Activity 1. Test your tables
[NOT YET AVAILABLE]