My dd learned her multiplication tables in 1st grade (she was being moved to 2nd grade math) with those 5 minute drills. Twice a week, children have five minutes to complete a set of worksheets (starts with addition, followed by subtraction, then mixed addition/subtraction, multiplication, division, then all mixed). As children master once concept (able to get 100% on all questions under 5 min.) they move to the next concept. It is 10 minutes a week and by the end of the year my dd knew all the mutliplication tables to 12. It certainly was helpul when she stared doing division and multiplication to be able to easily recall those facts.

I feel children need to master basic facts before they can move to more complex concepts.