I need to take a different direction with this. memorizing the times tables is not working. any other ideas?

Have you tried skip count songs?  Those really helped my boys.  When they were beginning multiplication they would jot down the answers in the margin.  For example if they were doing a page of x6 they would sing the song in their head and write down 6-12-18-24-30-36-42-48-54 in the margin.  Then they would refer to it as they worked the page.  After much practice it just started sticking so that now they do not have to write that in the margin.  It just stuck from use.  Oh, we also use a free online timed multiplication game.  It's very fast and simple.  I'll hunt down the website in a sec.

Here it is:

http://oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/mathmagician/mathsmulti.html

My son really progressed with Timez Attack.  You can use the basic mode for free and it's definitely geared to today's "gaming generation."  I'm just thrilled that it was finally something that worked for my son!

Timez Attack 

www.multiplication.com

Hi, When it got to the 9's I told them the story and so they stuck.  A man goes and applies for a job he has to take a test to get the job.  He knows 9 x 1 = 9 and 9 x 10 = 90 and 9 x 11 = 99. 

9 x 1 = 9

9 x 2 =

9 x 3 =

9 x 4 =

9 x 5 =

9 x 6 =

9 x 7 =

9 x 8 =

9 x 9 =

9 x 10 = 90

9 x 11 = 99

So, then the man counts the ones he didn't know

9 x 2 = 1

9 x 3 = 2

9 x 4 = 3

9 x 5 = 4

9 x 6 = 5

9 x 7 = 6

9 x 8 = 7

9 x 9 = 8

9 x 2 = 1 8

9 x 3 = 2 7

9 x 4 = 3  6

9 x 5 = 4 5

9 x 6 = 5 4

9 x 7 = 6 3

9 x 8 = 7 2

9 x 9 = 8 1

The man got the job because all of his answers were correct.

Schoolhouse Rock!  Once they get those songs in their heads, it seems to stick.  = )

We also use Learning Wrap-ups to practice and keep the skills current.

I've heard that it's easiest to teach all the products of one number before moving on to the next.  And you don't necessarily have to do them in numerical order.  For example, 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s are probably the easiest to learn, so start with one of those.  When 1s are mastered, start on 2s...and continue to practice 1s.  When 2s are mastered, move on to 5s...continuing to practice 1s and 2s.  And so on.  I guess the trick is to achieve mastery of one number before moving on to another number.

We'll be doing this over the summer to learn (and retain!) those facts!

~Jori

Here are a couple of ideas:

Times Tables the Fun Way has a cartoon-based mnemonic for each fact.  Example:  a boy must be 16 in order to drive a new Jeep 4 x 4.  What's 4 x 4?  16. It is non-religious based; 13.37, spiral-bound @ www.amazon.com.  They might have sample pages available for viewing on the website.  We borrowed from the library; but def. would have purchased it at this price (it was $20 a few years ago). 

One Hundred Sheep Skip Counting CD has great songs (with catchy melodies and different musical style, like Carribean/reggae with mostly acoustic guitar accompaniment as I recall-- it is NOT rapping math facts, which I can't stand)  The songs are based on actual Bible stories (one is Martha counting all the dishes she has to wash--- and Mary won't help! lol).  Oh, I can't recommend this one highly enough-- we all loved it.   $12.97 at www.rocksolidinc.com.

Another 9's trick is to hold both hands out in front of you (palms facing away).  For 9 x 3, count fingers (#1 is pinky on left hand, #2 is ring finger of left hand, #3 is middle finger of left hand-- fold #3, the middle finger down-- now, we have 2 fingers standing up on the left of the folded finger, that's 2 tens PLUS we have 7 fingers-- 2 on the left hand and all 5 fingers of the right hand-- on the right side of the folded fingers, so that's 7 ones.  2 tens plus 7 ones is 27, so 9 x 3 = 27.  It would be easier if I could show you in person, but hopefully I described that trick well enough.

Oh yeah, how about a game?  We still own this one:  "Arithmechips."  It's also available at www.rocksolidinc.com for $15.97.  It plays like checkers, but the round playing pieces have multiplication problems on them.  When you jump, you can't capture the "checker" until you have correctly announced the product.  This might make for a more fun summertime review.

Hope some of this info is helpful to you.

Dani, I think you described the 9s trick WONDERFULLY well!  I was trying to figure out how to create a word picture for it as well; now I don't have to.  = D

~Jori

Oops, sorry, just saw Dani's post describing the same thing. *blushing*

To multiply by 9:

(1) Spread your hands out and place them on a desk or table in front of you.

(2) To multiply 9 x 3, fold down the 3rd finger from the left. (this would be your middle finger)

(3) Now "read" the answer from left to right (2 fingers up, then a space, then 7 fingers up) so your answer is 27. Want to multiply 9 x 5? Fold your 5th finger from the left down, and so forth.

This will work for anything up to 9x10