When you want your children to practice answering times tables questions to which they should already know the answers, times tables worksheets have their place. However, they are not the very best method available to test your children.
The Learning Well educational programme coined the term ‘Audio Times Tables Worksheets’, and it is these that are much better for testing than ordinary times tables worksheets.
With Audio Times Tables Worksheets your children are asked a series of times tables questions.
Children give the answers verbally by calling out loud before the answer is given to them.Time for the response is restricted but can be adjusted to be short or long.
The important point is that children have to answer in a certain time and there is therefore a pressure to answer but not an external pressure as it is set by them.
Your children can be motivated to want to learn the times tables by telling them that the period of time represents different levels and that the best level is the genius level. They will have reached this genius level when they know the answers to the times table questions instantly.
Most children like this sort of goal setting with a reward at the end and want to do the best they can.
Because any errors made by your children are seen straight away with ‘Audio Times Tables Worksheets’ they are great for testing. This does not happen with ordinary Times Tables Worksheets.
With written times tables worksheets your children have to wait for the given answers to be checked after having written all their answers down.
Waiting can be very boring for children and the marking can take a long time and often there is not the time for a parent to fit all this in the day. What was your day like today?The point being highlighted here is that the answers to the times tables questions are known immediately and if a mistake is made it can be corrected there and then, no waiting, no boredom.
Think of ‘Audio Times Tables Worksheets’ as being like a quiz. People of all ages, and of course children, and love answering out loud.
There is a brilliant phrase namely – “SPEAK TO LEARN”
We usually think of speaking as being linked to literacy activities but speaking is also relevant to maths.
The point is that if you can speak about something then you know about that subject and if your children can speak out the answers to the times tables then they will know them.
An added dimension is that when your children are speaking and saying the answers to the times tables rather than writing them down, as they would be with normal times tables worksheets, this brings an added ease to their learning.
The added bonus is that when children find that what they are doing is not a strain and they like it then they will want to do more. They are motivated and in this case motivated to learn the times tables through using ‘Audio Times Tables Worksheets’.
The point that I would like to emphasise is that Times Tables Worksheets have their place for testing, yes, and that there is a much better way to motivate your children to learn the times tables so that they enjoy learning.
The best method is not ordinary times tables worksheets and is instead ‘Audio Times Tables Worksheets’. With these your children love to learn and receive an immediate response so that they know how they are doing and what they need to improve on.
For more information on Times Tables Worksheets, go to www.TimesTablesMaths.com.
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