Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Teaching Multiplication Facts (ADHD)

bzylzy, you exactly come to the point. Each time, I tried something unusual (mindmap, star wars flashcards, use of unusual fonts with dragons or so, ...), DW tells me that he needs linear learning, without any source of distraction ... Just pure black and white formula written on white paper. I do not find the force to "fight" against that, because there is no way that I can argue. But, the fact is that I succeed in making him work without too much fight and that I do not really care about the fact he actually records things in his brain or not ... I quite agree that he may learn better with no mixing, no mindmap, no fun, ... but in my mind the most important for him is pleasure doing things.

I feel like stealing JenSMP's topic. I hope she won't take offense ...

Here's how I do it.  I draw this on the whiteboard.


I tell him, "this is the  x 5 ='s".  "your pattern is erase four, leave one, erase four, leave one".  

I walk away, he does this:



Then he fills in the multiplication facts from the number line.    This is supposed to teach them the size of the numbers they are working with while they memorize them.  
The skip-counting songs help so they can check their work.  For example my son just counted wrong while erasing so that his answers were 5, 10, 15, 26.  He caught it immediately and came told me something was wrong because of a skip counting song.  (he doesn't always catch it).

I also hope we haven't stolen JenSMP's topic but I tried to word things about multi-sensory and non-linear because I think the idea suits ADHD as well.

That's neat, La Texican...very inspired.

I personally believe in the learning styles thing (everyone has certain strengths and to use those strengths to learn is the most lasting and also the most pleasant). You can't have it your way all the time in life, but for helping a child at home you can know or learn their strengths and try to reinforce (or re-teach) the material in the way that suits them best. I think the child appreciates it also.

If I have to look something up alphabetically (or search in the library) I always sing the alphabet song from Sesame Street or other things (my DD and I both like that "ninja e" song from the Electric Company). And when I see two vowels in a row and it's English, I remember my 1st grade teachers' little picture of two vowels on a walk, holding hands, and the first one is saying "SHHHH...I'll do the talking" to the second one.

It's just a flash in the brain, and of course I don't sing the alphabet song out loud...in public...but it's in my head and gets me where I need to be. So who cares how I remember it and if it's not that black-and-white or traditional?

Well I agree 100 % with you bzylzy and I will do it my way when it is me doing the homework.

The method proposed by La Texican is very interesting and I guess will suit DW more than mines (I already show her the pictures). Thanx for that !

How about a "General Store" game? Pick a variety of "goods," assign each a cost and sale price, ranging from $1-$12, then put together simple "orders" and have him figure out the bill, as well as cost to the store and profit. After he figures out three or four bills, have him add the profit from those sales together to see how much the store made that day. You don't need a time limit on any of it, and the transition from addition and subtraction to multiplication is fluid. It's the "Lemonade Stand" method if you think about it.

Concrete association in something like register math is very powerful, and layering levels of success and motivation using the concept of gain makes the child feel useful, like they're learning how to use one of Dad's tools so they can help him instead of drilling on seemingly abstract number tables.

If he's into games, you could try the one so many people my age learned a ton from, The Oregon Trail. There are modern versions of it, even on iphone/ipad etc. I'll tell you, even the most easily distracted kids quickly learned what two wagon axles and 20 lbs. of grain cost verrrry quickly!

That's just my two cents, I was ADD/gifted/dysgraphic and that was what made the most sense to me back then.

I second this. My DD8 (also average PSI) struggles with her times tables and sometimes refuses to study them, but we tried out the multiplication grand prix last night. She was very nervous at first racing three other people, and was losing some races, but I kept encouraging her and pretty soon she was getting 3rd and 2nd place. Her self confidence and fun grew right before my eyes, until she ended the night having won three races in a row.

Granted, it's not perfect in terms of giving her the range of problems she struggles with, but some sort of software like this this could very well be the key for us. It was amazing the difference in her from merely studying flash cards to doing this and witnessing genuine progress.