Call in Reinforcements!
Teach the times tables using our lesson plans and a little bit of help from a friend or grandparent.
What We Do
The Talking Times Tables Programme teaches the times tables via daily, 2-minute phone calls.
We call you five times a week, at whatever times you choose, and increment the lessons day by day.
Two minutes isn't very long, so your child learns their tables without really noticing!
How to Do-It-Yourself
Here you can find out how we do what we do, and recreate the programme for yourself at home.
YOU WILL NEED:
1) A copy of our instructions.
2) A willing (reliable!) friend or relative with a phone.
Learning is based on recitation and repetition, which will be very familiar to relatives over a certain age! <ahem>
Rules and Phases
- Phone at the same time each day
- Take it slowly! - a little progress every day
- Keep the call shorter than two minutes!
- Phase 1: Teach the table by rote, as a 'sing-song chant'
- Phase 2: Learn to 'sing the answer'
- Phase 3: Learn to 'sing the question'
Phase 1
Phase 1: Teach the Table - by rote, as a 'sing-song chant'
Build up slowly, adding one multiple per day.
To start: You sing what you've learned so far, the child listens. Then you both sing together.
To progress: You sing again, including the new multiple. Then you both sing together.
Repeat three times.
Say goodbye!
Phase 2
Phase 2: Sing the Question
If your child gets stuck, help them sing through the table to find the answer.
To start: You both sing the whole times table together.
To progress: You sing one question from the table. Your child sings the answer.
Ask 5 questions.
Say goodbye!
Phase 3
Phase 3: Sing the Answer
If your child gets stuck, help them sing through the table to find the answer.
To start: You both sing the whole times table together.
To progress: You ask one question from the table. Your child sings the question and answer.
Ask 5 questions.
Say goodbye!
FREE Instruction Pack!
FREE Instruction Pack to Get You Started and Keep You on Track
Includes:
- Printable Instruction Sheet - A reminder of what to do and how to do it. Send to your willing (reliable!) friend / grandparent so they understand the plan!
- Printable Cheatsheet - Another one for your 'voice on the phone'. A tick sheet listing all the lessons so they can tick them off as they go.
- Listen to Sample Lessons - Listen to a sample lesson from each Phase in the programme, so you can hear exactly how we do it.
Let Us Take Care of Everything!
If you don't think the diy version will work for you, or you'd like to see how we run things here before you start, we're here to help :)
- The pleasure / relief of seeing your child actually learn their tables
- Big reduction in nagging (probably?)
- A lightening of 'the guilt load' associated with both!
(Cancel at any time with one click.)