Welcome to Ludlow Junior’s ‘x table Rockstar’ challenge
The quick recall of multiplication and division facts is essential for all children and this will help them in many areas of their maths learning. It is also an expectation in the National Curriculum that all children can recall multiplication and division facts for tables up to 12 x 12.
Ludlow’s Rockstar progression ladder
Ludlow Junior school have created our own ‘x table Rockstar’ ladder system which helps children, parents and carers track their progress with their x table learning. They will be tested each Friday and the test will last 3 minutes . During this time, the children are expected to answer 40 questions (x table/or division facts) and if they answer 35 correctly they will move up the ladder. It is important to realise that they are not expected to move up the ladder each week because they need to demonstrate a secure understanding before they move on so learning is retained. At certain stages the children will achieve certificates (Rock legend etc). Year 3 have a separate x table ladder to year 4 which years 5 and 6 will also use (they may start at different stages automatically based on previous years achievement).
If children reach the top of the ladder, they will be given some x table challenges. Here are some examples below:
*Finding missing answers in questions
*Multiplying by 10, 100, 1000
*Multiplying 3 numbers
*Finding square numbers
Year 3 Rock Star Ladder Year 4 and above Rock Star Ladder
Please look at your child's x table record card to see which x tables or challenge they are working on this week.
Other useful x tables websites to help support your child;
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/7-11-years/times-tables
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks2numeracy-multiplication.html
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/category/7/multiplication-and-division
Useful tips for learning times tables:
Learn to double numbers so they can make connections between times tables e.g. 2’s and 4’s
Practise times tables as time fillers e.g. waiting at traffic lights or waiting in a queue rather than long tests that can get tiredsome
Use x table games like hit the button which increases recall in a fun way!
Use the right language. If you are saying 3 x 5 = 15 then using other words such as multiply, multiplied by and product of. Introduce factors and multiples: 3 and 5 are a factors of 15 and 3 and 5 are multiples of 15.
Make it fun and learn the ones your children find tricky e.g. draw the fact in bubble writing and put on the wall, have a competition with them or sing songs!
Print off a number grid and colour in x tables looking for patterns
Learn the division facts alongside x table facts e.g. 3 x 5 = 15 so 15 divided by 3 = 5!
