Opinions on use of flashcards? I have a few 7th graders that have trouble with multiplication. Are flashcards a good way to reinforce mult.?
Re: flashcards
After they understand the concept of multiplication well, I think flashcards are good. I use triangular flashcards with the product in the top angle. The other angles contain the factors. These cards are great as you can practice multiplication facts as well as vary the missing factor (division facts) as you use them just by covering up one of the angles with your hand.
Re: flashcards
No and yes. As in all things, concept and understanding *first*, drill *after*.
Far too many people think they are “teaching” when they hold up a flash card and demand a fast answer. No, you are either testing or guaranteeing failure.
If your student has already learned the concept well and can get over 80% corrrect in a reasonable time, you are testing. If your student does not understand the concept and is randomly guessing for fear of punishment if he doesn’t shout out, you are teaching failure and guaranteeing a lifelong problem.
First make up arrays of three dots by four dots to show 3 X 4 = 12, and so on for all the multiplication facts. Second have the child learn them in order — and it is *very* important to say the question as well as the answer:
three times one is three, three times two is six, three times three is nine, and so on; if you say or show the question and the student just says three - six - nine and so on, he has just leanred a trick to add on three and hasn’t tied the answer to any meaningful operation. Third do mixed practice slowly with the diagrams on the wall for reference as needed. Finally do the flashcards for speed and memory. Work slowly at first and only do speed drills when mastery at a slower speed has been achieved.
When my 11 yr old was in third grade the teacher made the kids little flash cards when they were learning a new table they would get a new set, but they were in order. If you use flash cards for drilling which is good don’t put them in order, as my son only knew them in order and didn’t recognise them out of sequence. We are still doing multiplication but I use a three minute time test book called CalCuladder 2 which I purchased from Timberdoodle. I feel this is helping him better.