How To Teach Multiplication To Struggling Students

While it can be a normal expectation to wonder how to teach multiplication, knowing how to teach multiplication to struggling students is quite another animal.

In this article, we will explore some methods for teaching multiplication to students who are struggling with the concept that is learning multiplication facts.

From helping slow learners visualize the concept of multiplication with step-by-step examples to helping struggling learners master their times tables with cheats, tricks, and manipulatives, there are plenty of ways to help kids who struggle with times tables overcome their challenges.

One of the first things to consider when teaching multiplication to struggling students is what methods have previously been tried. If a student has been trying to learn their times tables for a while without success, it may be time to try a new method.

Sometimes all it takes is finding the right explanation or way of thinking about multiplication for a student to finally make the proper connections.

Remember – learning styles are a real thing and if you are not teaching in the same way your child learns, they are never going to master these lessons.

Let’s take a look at some of the best hacks for teaching times tables to struggling students.

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How Do You Teach Multiplication To Slow Learners?

There is a difference between a slow learner and a struggling learner.

A child who is slow to learn multiplication does not necessarily struggle to grasp the concept, rather they learn a little bit differently than their peers and take things one tiny step at a time as opposed to one entire concept at a time.

The best way to help a slow learner grasp the math concept that is multiplication is by going slow and steady. In short, start small and use lots of examples and hands-on manipulatives.

Start Small and Use Examples

When you first start teaching multiplication, you’re going to want to begin with the basics.

Don’t jump straight into teaching the nines or twelves times tables. Instead, start with smaller numbers that are easier for your child to visualize in their heads.

Be sure to explain the basic concept of multiplication – adding the same number to itself however many times, a process known as jump counting. Also, use plenty of examples based on real life.

Here is an example of a multiplication word problem you could present to your child:

Jack, Miguel, and Madison are in a band and want to pass out posters for their upcoming concert.

They each print 5 posters.

If there are three people (Jack, Miguel, and Madison) and each person has 5 posters, we can find the total number of posters by multiplying 5 x 3 or adding 5 + 5 + 5 (AKA repeated addition).

Both operations get the same answer – 15 – because 5 x 3 means to add 5 together three times. When teaching math, giving a child who is slower to grasp the concept of multiplication these kinds of examples will allow them to envision exactly what they are attempting to do.

This will make mastering and memorizing their times tables easier than ever! And we all know mental math will make all future mathematical projects quicker and simpler.

How Do You Teach A Struggling Child Multiplication?

By breaking multiplication into smaller chunks and teaching universal truths, you can make multiplication easier for your child to understand. This is one of the most basic multiplication strategies.

For this teaching strategy, start by teaching simple tricks such as jump counting and then move into more advanced topics such as the commutative property. From there, you can start to highlight a few of the common patterns which will help students who are struggling with multiplication immensely!.

For many elementary school students, making the jump from addition to multiplication can seem a daunting task. Whereas addition can be done on their fingers, it’s far less intuitive to see the patterns in multiplication without prior knowledge.

So, if you’re a parent homeschooling their child, you’re likely stressing over how to effectively teach multiplication to your struggling kid.

Let’s go through some of the most effective tricks to teach multiplication and help your struggling student master the art of the times tables.

Include Hands-On Manipulatives

One of the best ways to help a student struggling with multiplication, especially a student who is a kinesthetic or a visual learner, is to provide them with concrete examples.

For younger students, this could mean using manipulatives such as counters or blocks. With these materials, students can physically see and count out the different multiplication problems.

You can also use informal games (such as math board games or printable multiplication games) as a way of incorporating manipulatives.

For example, you could have your student draw a series of dots on a piece of paper and then connect them to create a multiplication problem. As an extension, you could even turn this game into a race by seeing who can complete the most problems in the shortest amount of time.

Multiplication BINGO is another fun math game that will help your active learners more easily grasp the concept of times tables.

Make Use of Technology

For older students who are struggling to understand multiplication, using technology can be a huge help. This is especially the case for those who are more mechanically minded and who love solving problems and playing strategy games.

There are a number of different apps and programs that can help your student visualize the patterns within multiplication. For example, the website Multiplication.com offers a range of different games and activities that can help your child understand the principles behind multiplication.

Another excellent way to use technology is to create digital flashcards. This can be an especially useful tool if your child struggles with rote memorization. You could even have a child who loves to code create their own digital flashcards for extra times table practice!

Teach a Few Mathematical Laws

Math can often seem like a complicated swirl of unconnected numbers and equations but it generally follows neat patterns dictated by universal laws.

Teaching your child a few of these rules can help them better understand how numbers work and see the patterns within multiplication.

We recommend starting with these main points:

• Multiplying by 0 – 0 is one of the easiest numbers to multiply by because 0 times anything will always each 0.
  
• Multiplying by 1 – Likewise, multiplying by 1 is incredibly easy because anything times 1 will always equal itself.
  
• Commutative Property – Teaching your child the commutative property will greatly simplify multiplication.
  
  The commutative property says that the order of the terms in a product or a sum won’t affect the result, i.e. a*b = b*a. Give your child some easy examples to demonstrate, such as 3 x 4 = 12 and 4 x 3 = 12. This will effectively cut the number of times tables your child has to memorize in half.

Although there are many other mathematical rules that affect multiplication, these are the simplest and will greatly help your child with basic multiplication.

Teach Multiplication Patterns

Just as multiplication is ruled by set laws, you can quickly improve your child’s understanding by teaching them clear patterns inherent in some of the times tables. We recommend starting with these:

• Twos are Even – If your child already has an understanding of odd and even numbers, they’ll quickly catch on to the two times tables. Two times anything will equal an even number that they can quickly count up to.
  
• Fives End in 5 or 0 – When multiplying by fives, the product will always end in either a 5 or a 0. Five times an odd number will always end in 5 and five times an even number will always end in 0. This can help you child quickly run through the 5 times table in their head.
  
• Add 0 when multiplying by 10 – When multiplying by 10, it’s easiest to just add a 0 to the number you’re multiplying by. For example, if we look at 7 x 10, we can simply add a 0 to 7 and get the answer—70.

Other times tables have similar patterns but may take a little more hands-on practice for your child to understand. Let’s take a look at some of the tricks you can teach to help them more clearly see these patterns.

The Nine Times Tables

For whatever reason, many students struggle to master the nine times tables. Yet, the 9s are ruled by a clear pattern that you can use a simple trick to figure out:

1. Hold your hands out in front of you.
2. Starting from the left pinky, count your fingers from 1 to 10. The left pinky should be 1 and the right pinky should be 10.
3. For any nine times problem, lower the finger that corresponds with the multiplicand. For example, if we have 9 x 3, you should lower the third finger (middle finger on your left hand)
4. Count how many fingers are on either side. For 9 x 3, you should have 2 fingers on the left of the finger you lowered and 7 fingers on the right. So, this shows that 9 x 3 = 27.
5. This trick will work through 9 x 10.

Another way to show the pattern inherent in the nine times tables is to write out all of the products:

9 x 1 = 9

9 x 2 = 18

9 x 3 = 27

9 x 4 = 36

9 x 5 = 45

9 x 6 = 54

9 x 7 = 63

9 x 8 = 72

9 x 9 = 81

9 x 10 = 90

If we take a look at the list of products, the number on the right-side decreases from 9 to 0 while the number on the left increases from 0 to 9. This quick trick can help your child quickly jot down their nine times tables if needed.

Once Your Struggling Child Has Grasped Their Times Tables, Don’t Forget to Practice!

Teaching multiplication may seem like a mountain to overcome but once your child has a solid grasp on the basics, they’ll quickly master the task.

Don’t forget to practice with your child every day and include fun worksheets, games, and tasks to make the learning more fun.

Even something as simple as flashcards can help your child quickly memorize their times tables.

More Multiplication Resources For Struggling Students

Still looking for more multiplication help for your struggling student? Take a look at some of these recommendations!

Times Tales

Fun Multiplication Worksheets

Why Use Multiplication Songs To Memorize Times Tables