Knowing your tables might seem old-fashioned especially as the children will be allowed to use calculators at second level. However, tables are essential for mental maths, a skill that we all use in real life. Tables also help us to estimate our answer before we calculate. There is huge emphasis on estimating in the maths programme as it helps to have parameters for our answer. If we accidentally hit the wrong button on the calculator, our estimate will alert us to the mistake.Learning tables is all about patterns and repetition. You simply need to say them often enough that they stick!
In the early years of learning multiplication and division tables, we allow the children to go up in multiples. By fifth class we would be hoping they could access the answer instantly. That is the aim!