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How to Learn your Times Tables

Arithmetic and maths can be hard work if you don't know your tables. It's like walking through thick treacle - you can hardly lift your feet.

Follow these tips and you will be surprised at how easy it is to learn your tables:
  • Little and often. Set yourself an achievable target such as 15 minutes a day, rather than 2 hours every Saturday morning.
  • Small chunks. Do one table at a time. For example, do the 5 times table. Make sure you know this through before moving on.
  • Use the clock. A random list of 100 tables questions (9 x 2, 3 x 3, 9 x 4 etc) should take around 2 minutes.
  • Practice, practice, practice. You need to know your tables so well that the answers come to you automatically. And you have to know them 'backwards' - for example, when answering the question 'How many times does 6 go into 48?'
  • Measure accuracy and speed. Note how many you are getting right and how long it's taking. You will see that you are improving.
    • Here are a few of the many tools that you might find useful:

    • Tables Tester and Trainer Computer based. FREE. Tracks your progress and tell you whether you "know your tables".

    • learnyourtables.co.uk Computer based. FREE. Very good for monitoring your progress.
      If you do a "Test" on a "Single" table, you will get 19 questions. Try getting these all correct with a "Time" of 8 or less.
      For a "Mixed" test, you will get 40 questions. Try getting these all correct with a "Time" of 15 or less.

    • Times Table Grid from the BBC Computer based. FREE. Very good for "backwards" questions such as "Q. What makes 30? A: 6x5"

    • How to do Maths so your Children Can Too Book.£9.99. Works through maths topics with a simple step-by-step approach, explaining the new ways of teaching maths that confuse so many parents.

    • learnyourtimestables.com CD or MP3 download. £6.99. Times table songs. Each repeats round three times. The music then repeats twice more without the answers. This teaches you to provide the answer yourself.

    • hoohasuper-duper.com Hoo Ha! Box sets of memory cards. From about £9. Uses four learning styles to aid recall and improve memory. Each box set is grouped in a accordance with the national curriculum guidance on how times tables are taught in primary schools.

    • ko-box.com Know Your Times Tables. Board game. £29.95. Lay out single-digit number cards in the correct places as answers to times tables questions written on strips in front of you.

Students' Comments

Ms LH of PR7 xxx says:

What can I say? She was excellent! I was attempting my third and final go at the QTS numeracy skills test and constantly thinking <> The alternative had my stomach in knots.January and I worked through the skills test book and some online tests
Mr BT of NW4 xxx says:

Extremely competent tutor and lovely person:my daughter got on very well with Alay and gained her confidence back through his competent and reassuring approach. Alay managed to go over the entire IB Standard Maths programme in 10 sessions of two hours over the three weeks before Easter and to reinforce the areas that needed attention. My daughter has since been practising with the help of Alays notes and feels ready to sit her IB S Maths exams next week. We were very lucky to find Alay at short notice.
Mrs LM of BN2 xxx says:

Superstar tutor!!! Francesca got an A in maths!!!