Every child is supposed to have mastered the basic multiplication and division facts by the first semester of the fourth grade. The math that students are presented with during the years that follow all depend on having those facts at their fingertips. So, a good portion of the third grade is dedicated to learning those facts.
However, some students can begin falling behind in this task. I have tutored several children with this as the single goal for our sessions. Usually, these students have been referred by their teachers who know how vital it is to have that knowledge.
So I begin with the easiest numbers to master. I start with the number 1, then 0, and 10. Then we go to the facts for 11. After that, we study the numbers 2 and 5. From there, we hop to the number 9. Then we go back to the numbers 3 and 4. The last numbers we set out to conquer are 6, 7, 8, and 12.
Over the years, I have collected several ways to teach the different facts. For each number, I first point out the patterns. For example, when you multiply 5 with an even number, the answer always ends in a zero. When you multiply it by an odd number, it ends in a 5. For some numbers, we sing songs (if there isn’t an obvious pattern). Another gimmick I’ve used is finger tapping.
The newest craze is using creative stories to remember the facts. By concentrating on stories, we activate the right side of the brain, which is the stronger hemisphere for some students. Several years ago, I found a company in Southern California, called Memory Joggers, and they have a whole series of stories that students can memorize in order to remember the facts. Many times I have acted out these stories with the students (which they love!). We take turns playing the various numbers. Also, anytime a student is having fun, they are more engaged, and this, in turn, makes them learn more quickly.
Between all of the gimmicks I have either found or created myself, I have had a lot of success getting students to the point where they can recall the multiplication and division facts. If your child is having difficulty memorizing these facts, I highly recommend you get a hold of the program sold by Memory Joggers and start reading and acting out stories.