To help the kids learn their tables and to make it a bit more fun I have got flip cards (homemade). On one side is a table eg 4 x 4 =     but no answer, on the other side is the answer 16. Place the cards on the desk  and point to one and have the child give you the answer. If its the number 16 the answer is 4 x 4, if its 4 x 4 the answer is 16. You can have them all the same way up or a mixture of both sides. Use a different colour cardboard for each set of tables .If you have more than one child then make it a game. First child takes a turn and if they get it right they keep the card and the next one has a shot. If they get it wrong then the other child has the opportunity to see if they can get it right and if so then they get to keep the card and then have their own shot. This game has made a big difference to Kaitlynn and Wes as previously they hated tables but now are keen to show off and compete with each other. Nothing like a bit of healthy sibling rivalry to get them learning. Hope you can get the gist of this, if not let me know and I'll try to explain it a bit better.

Regards Michelle (SA govo 2003)
 

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Basically with the older boys (yr 5/6) they do their set work. If they have problems with a particular concept / or specific question after discussion and clarification I'll pose the question in a different way, use diff, concrete materials, make up my own (more relevant) example. Also with the two older boys, I set 'number work' as a permanent part of each day. We decide on a set of times tables and each day they learn them independently then come to me and I ask them the times tables in a jumbled order. When they become really confident with one set we choose another. So they are basically learning / revising a set of tables each week. As we all know 'learning times tables' doesn't mean we remember them for life! I think the revision is really important.

 

For a reception there is a lot more scope in his course to manipulate the course materials to suit. Before any maths session we do counting in diff ways. Either counting together, ordering written numbers then taking some out / rejumbling them / finding the mistake etc. We count cows / ants / trees - whatever there are lots of! We have day / month / date chart which we change every day. We all play Uno together which is great for Jake's maths because he has to put down a number one above or one below the number which has been put down.

Myolene (SA govo 2003)