Cracking Times Tables
Cracking times tables is the scheme for monitoring the learning of multiplication facts. The children will be expected to learn times tables at home (about 5-10 minutes each day is ideal) and they will be tested each week in class.
The learning and testing are based around a series of ten levels. The test is written, and each child will be given 3 minutes to complete a test. This ensures that the children are able to give responses quickly and accurately. The tests become increasingly difficult as children move through the levels, but 3 minutes remain the time limit.
The tables are not written in the order they are ‘chanted’, and the tables fact may be reversed to encourage children to recognise that multiplication can be done in any order. For example: Level 1, which tests the 2 times table, might have a question like 2 x 9. Children will learn to recognise that this is the same as 9 x 2. Tables are tested up to 12 x the number.
When a level is achieved (all questions correct in the time limit), children receive a certificate to take home. They progress to the next level which will include 5 additional questions and introduce a new times table (see the table below). The tests will become increasingly difficult as children move through the levels, but 3 minutes will remain the time limit