There are probably a variety of problems that your child is experiencing and one of them may be that they simply cannot commit their multiplication facts to memory. I want to reassure you, you are not alone. I have worked with so many kiddos that just simply cannot figure out this idea of multiplication.
If you have been following my blog for awhile, you may feel like this post is repetitious. You have already talked about this. Yes, I have. But, I want to come back to this idea because it is so vital that kiddos know their multiplication facts and are able to fluently work with them.
Now you may feel puzzled. Your child really doesn’t even understand the idea of multiplication. They may be relying on a multiplication chart. They are taking an incredible amount of time to count up to the fact they are trying to solve. If this describes your situation, then read on.
Begin by determining if your child can add fluently. If your child still struggles with their addition facts, then really hit those hard. Use games, counting tools, and 10 frames to get the job done. Go back to my blog about 10 frames to get an idea of how this can support your child’s understanding of a number and addition and subtraction facts.
Once they have a solid understanding of addition, you can then use this idea to support their understanding of multiplication. Multiplication is repeated addition. If your child has learned how to count by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s you can use those examples to support their understanding of multiplication. When you count by 2’s three times, that is the same as 3 groups of 2 which is equal to 6. If they cannot see this, then use the graphic organizer that I have at the bottom of this post. You will simply print it out, use some sort of a counter, like dried beans and the organizer. You will use three circles and place 2 beans in each circle. Then count them out. Move towards counting them by 2’s if you can get the there, then they can see the relationship of 3 groups of 2’s is 3X2 and it will equal 6.
Use this idea as you help them develop their math facts. When I work with kiddos, they would love for me to pull out the multiplication chart. And, I will do that. But, if I see that they keep getting stuck on a particular math fact, I pull out the 10 circles and the dried beans and we count it out. This one small act of manipulating the “numbers” seems to help them cement the math fact into their heads and they can “see’ the answer, rather than just find it on a chart.
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I hope this is helpful as you make your way through this math journey with your child. If this is helpful, and you know others that may benefit from this, please feel free to press the share button.
For more information about me, you can simply click on my linktr.ee/sheryluehling and see other ideas that may support your elementary child and you as you learn together. If you are seeking personalized support, reach out to me. I am happy to help you out!
Tutoring with Sheryl 
