Tables

Dear parents,

Tables are really important to success in maths. You can do some tables revision by:

• Counting in twos, threes, fours, etc. Forwards and backwards. Sometime start in the middle (24, 30, 36, etc.)

• Use this website - https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button - Who can get the highest score?

• Fill out the attached times tables chart

• Use your fingers to figure out nine times tables. Start by spreading all 10 fingers in front of you. To figure out 9×1, put your left pinky down. What are you left with? 9 fingers! For 9×2 put your left ring-finger down. What are you left with? 1 finger and a gap followed by 8 fingers or 18. This trick works up to 9×9 (8 and 1 or 81). That said, when teaching children these tricks, encourage them to ask why these techniques work and the mathematical reasoning behind them.

• A card game that makes learning times tables fun. The game is simple, two players draw a card from a deck. They then flip their cards over and the first person to correctly guess the total of the two cards multiplied together gets to put the cards in their winning pile. For example, if a 3 of hearts and a 7 of diamonds are flipped over, the first person who says 21 gets to keep the two cards. The person with the most cards in their winning pile at the end of the game wins.

• If they're doing really well, ask them to try the 13 times tables.

• Don't forget the division tables  ... 3 times 5 = 15 ... 15 divided by 3 = 5

• For the younger ones, click on Number Bonds at this website https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button

Slán agus beannacht,

Mark Kelly, principal.