Multiplication is one of the four basic arithmetic operations alongside addition, subtraction, and division. In math, multiply means the repeated addition of groups of equal sizes. The exercise below can be used to teach multiplication to children. Copyright 2024: Edublox (Pty) Ltd.
Materials required:
- Blocks or buttons of the same color.
- Multiplication flashcards (see PDF file below).
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Description:
The tutor shows the learner the first multiplication card, 1 x 2, and asks, “What does the card say?” The learner must answer, “One times two.” The tutor will then tell the learner, “Take the blocks and show me what one times two looks like when blocks are used.”
The learner must arrange the blocks as follows:
The tutor asks, “What is the answer?” to which the learner must answer, “Two.”
The tutor says, “That is correct; one times two means one pile of two.”
The tutor shows the learner the next multiplication card, 2 x 2, and asks, “What does the card say?” The learners must answer, “Two times two.” The tutor will ask the learner, “Take the blocks and show me what two times two looks like when blocks are used.”
The learner must arrange the blocks as follows:
The tutor then asks, “What is the answer?” to which the learner must answer, “Four.”
The tutor will say: “That is correct; two times two means two piles of two each.”
The tutor shows the learner the next multiplication card, 3 x 2, and asks, “What does the card say?” The learner must answer, “Three times two.” The tutor will ask the learner, “Take the blocks and show me what three times two looks like when blocks are used.”
The learner must arrange the blocks as follows:
The tutor asks, “What is the answer?” to which the learner must answer, “Six.”
The tutor will say: “That is correct; three times two means three piles of two each.”
If the learner gives an incorrect answer, the tutor will help the learner find the correct answer through leading questions.
The tutor will continue in this way until she has the first six multiplication cards in her hand.
The tutor shuffles the six cards, puts the first one down on the table, and immediately covers it with her hand. The action of putting the flashcard on the table and covering it with one’s hand must be quick.
With her hand covering the flashcard, the tutor waits for the learner to say the answer.
She then puts the next card in front of him the same way and waits for him to answer, followed by the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth flashcards.
If the learner cannot give a correct answer, or if he answers hesitantly, she must put the card(s) in question aside so that it (they) can be drilled later. To drill, she puts the flashcard(s) (one at a time) in front of the learner and asks, “What is the answer?” She drills it (them) over and over until he can say the answer(s) fluently. If needed, the learner can again use blocks to illustrate an equation.
The six flashcards are shuffled, and the process is repeated.
If (or as soon as) the learner is able to say the answers to the six flashcards correctly and without hesitation, two more flashcards are added, and the process starts all over again:
1.) Two more flashcards are added
The tutor puts the new flashcard, 7 x 2, in front of the learner and asks, “What does the card say?” The learner must answer, “Seven times two.” The tutor will ask the learner, “Take the blocks and show me how seven times two looks when blocks are used.”
The learner illustrates 7 x 2 with blocks, and the tutor asks, “What is the answer?” to which the learner must say, “Fourteen.” Etc.
2.) The tutor shuffles the eight cards, puts them down one by one on the table, and immediately covers them with her hand.
If the learner cannot give a correct answer, or if he gives an answer hesitantly, she must put the card(s) in question aside so that it (they) can be drilled later. To drill, she puts the flashcard(s) (one at a time) in front of the learner and asks, “What is the answer?” She drills it (them) over and over until he can say the answer(s) fluently. If needed, the learner can again use blocks to illustrate an equation.
3.) If (or as soon as) the learner is able to say the answers of the eight flashcards correctly and without hesitation, two are added.
In this way, the tutor must work through all the flashcards.
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More examples:
This is what 4 X 3 looks like (4 piles of 3 each):
This is what 3 X 4 looks like (3 piles of 4 each):
