A parent's guide to how multiplication is taught in Guernsey Primary Schools

Multiplication is a key arithmetic skill which children need to become successful mathematicians. Not only is it the foundation of many problem solving activities, including other maths areas such as algebra and geometry, it also has many real world applications outside of education. The written methods used for multiplication utilise the numberline, arrays, and later on, the grid method, before children move to standard written methods.

What's the deal with times tables?

Any teacher or maths tutor in Guernsey will tell you that children who are the most efficient and accurate mathematicians also have great times table knowledge and recall. As a general rule, in Guernsey the maths curriculum states that children should know all their times tables fluently and with quick recall (under 5 seconds) up to 10×10 by the end of year 4. Typically, children in year 2 will learn the 2x, 10x and 5x tables, year 3 will focus on 3x, 4x and 6x, and in year 4 children will learn 9x and 7x tables.

Prior learning

By Key Stage 2, most children will be proficient in skip counting in 2s, 5s and 10s, and will have experience of using pictures and objects to help them solve multiplication problems.

Arrays

An array is a way of organising objects or symbols to represent a multiplication sum.

Other models and ways of showing multiplication

Multiplication is an operation which really benefits from being represented visually, especially in the early stages. Physically building arrays, as well as other models, is recommended by our Guernsey maths tutors to help develop children's conceptual understanding.

Numberlines

For multiplication, the link between repeated addition and multiplication is used by our Guernsey maths tutors to help children represent their calculation. Although children can solve this type of problem by skip counting, it is much more efficient if children can use their times tables.

Grid Method

This is a favourite method among Key Stage 2 teachers and maths tutors in Guernsey as it is as quick and efficient as the formal algorithm. Children tend to first use this method in Year 3 or 4, and it is important that they have a strong understanding of place value beforehand. Long multiplication, including 2 digit x 2 digit, can also be accomplished using the grid method.

In conclusion, teaching a range of progressive written methods for multiplication is crucial for children in Key Stage 2. Our skilled team of maths tutors in Guernsey are adept at using and teaching all written methods, as well as troubleshooting any issues which may arise as children learn to use them.