6 things it's good to know when you are trying to help a child faced with times tables tests
★ If you can make times tables practise into a game your child can associate times tables facts with fun which can neutralise the fear in a times tables test.
★ It will help your child to securely memorise times tables facts if you practise them at least the night before a test, rather than the morning before a test. This is because sleeping helps strengthen the memories you've formed throughout the day.
★ Learning times tables is often done by repeating rhymes, but it's good for your child to understand the patterns and relationships between them, as the brain stores new memories that it can link to earlier memories.
★ Studies show that when we make kids feel like they have to be quick, for example in a times table test, it can make them worry about doing maths - and now we know from watching how the brain works, that this worry stops the brain from learning! The story of the hare and the tortoise can be very helpful!
★ Though we want kids to be good at maths, the kids who are really good at maths usually aren't the best at memorising things like times tables facts. Reassure your child that they can be brilliant problem solving mathematician without being the best in class at times tables tests.
★ Teachers have different opinions about whether it's super important for young kids to memorise a lot of times tables. But they all agree that understanding how different times tables are related is really useful. For example, if your child knows that five times six is the same as six times five, or that four times four is double four times two, then they don't have to remember as many separate facts. Watch out for workbooks, apps and songs, that are supposed to help kids with times tables but don't teach these important relationships.
