| If you want to teach a child to multiply by two, | | | | and say out loud: "2 times 9 in 18" "9 times 2 is |
| one of the easiest ways is to explain that | | | | 18" "18 is 2 times 9" "18 is 9 times 2" "2 times 9 |
| multiplication by two is simply doubling the number. | | | | is 18." Say that out loud each time you hesitate |
| Instead of showing the child endless multiplication | | | | with the answer. It will definitely help you for the |
| tables and multiplication charts, get out a deck of | | | | next time. You won't have to do this often until |
| cards and do the following:o Remove the Tens, | | | | you will instantly recognize that two times nine is |
| Jacks, Queens and Kings. You won't need them.o | | | | eighteen, any time you see it. After you have |
| Take a Two of any other suit (say Spades) and | | | | gone through all nine cards, it's time to do some |
| place it face up on the table.o Take the Ace | | | | serious practicing.o Leaving the Two of Spades |
| through Nine of any suit (say diamonds). Shuffle | | | | face up on the table, take the rest of the cards, |
| them face down.o Start turning the cards over | | | | except for the Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings, |
| one by one, and as you do, say what the product | | | | and shuffle them face down.o Start turning over |
| of that number, multiplied by two, is.o It is | | | | cards as before, saying their products. Don't |
| important to remember not to say to yourself, | | | | forget to do , stop, look at the cards, see the |
| "Two times (whatever number you are working | | | | problem, and say the combinations of the |
| on) is..." Try to just say the answer. If you have | | | | answers out loud, as aboveo Keep this up until |
| trouble with a problem, like say, two times 9, | | | | you can go through all of the cards (there will be |
| remember, you are just doubling the number. If | | | | 35 of them) in less than one minute. This will not |
| you have problems with that, you may want to | | | | take much practice, and you'll feel great about |
| "skip count" to the number. To "skip count" you | | | | yourself when you can do it in under a minute. |
| just count by twos, and put out a finger for each | | | | Learning this way has huge advantages. Once you |
| number you say. So you'd say "two" and put out | | | | are great at multiplying by two, try it with three. |
| one finger. Then you'd say "four" and put out | | | | This method also has the advantage that you |
| another one. By the time you have nine fingers | | | | don't have to print out worksheets, and you can |
| out, you should be up to "eighteen." That is two | | | | carry a deck of cards anywhere. You also will |
| times nine. | | | | improve your powers of concentration when you |
| This is important: Whenever you come to a | | | | learn like this. I have been diagnosed with ADD, |
| problem that you don't immediately know the | | | | and this method worked wonders for me. |
| answer to (like if you have to think about it, or | | | | Please keep in mind that we are only talking about |
| skip count to it), you may think you now know | | | | whole numbers here. "Simply doubling" is not the |
| the answer because you have figured it out. Don't | | | | definition of multiplication by two. There are |
| fall into that trap! That's what hurts many learners | | | | subtleties involved that are beyond the scope of |
| most. You must know the answer to simple | | | | this article. But in order to learn simple |
| multiplications in your bones. So when you get to | | | | multiplication by two, this method is much |
| something like two times nine and have to skip | | | | preferable to the "multiplication tables." If the |
| count, stop, look at the cards, see the problem, | | | | above seems a little complicated, it really isn't. |