Resources to support your  Learn-a-thon!

Maths-a-thon Resources

Core Shortcuts for Each Times Table

• 2s: Double the number (6 times 2 = 6 + 6 = 12).

• 4s: Double the number, then double it again (6 x 4 is the same as  6+6=12 , then double 12+12=24).

• 5s: Always end in 0 (for even numbers) or 5 (for odd numbers). Alternatively, multiply by 10 and cut the answer in half ( 8 x 5 = (8 times 10) / 2 = 40).

• 9s: The digits of the product always add up to 9 (e.g.,  9  x 4 = 36, and 3 + 6 = 9). Also, the first digit of the answer is always one less than the number being multiplied (9  x 7 = 6 _ becomes 63).

• 10s: Add a zero to the end of the number (7 x 10 = 70).

• 11s (up to 9): Repeat the digit being multiplied (11 x 6 = 66).

• 12s: Multiply by 10, multiply by 2, and add them together (12 x 6 = (10 x 6) + (2 x 6) = 60 + 12 = 72).

Practice Techniques That Stick

1. Order Doesn't Matter

Remember that 4 x 7  is the exact same result as  7 x 4. Learning one automatically teaches you the other, reducing the number of facts to memorize by half.

2. Focus on "Anchor Facts" First

Master 2s, 5s, and 10s first. These act as anchors for trickier numbers. For example, if you forget 6 x 7, start from 5 x 7 = 35 and add one more 7to get 42.

3. Use Physical Games Instead of Worksheets

• Math Card War: Flip two cards from a standard deck and multiply them together. The player with the highest product wins the cards.

• Dice Rolls: Roll two 6-sided or 12-sided dice and multiply the values.

Spell-a-thon Resources

Practicing spelling at home works best when you mix visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and game-based methods to engage different learning styles.

Sensory & Kinesthetic Methods

• Tactile Writing: Spread shaving cream, salt, or flour on a baking sheet and have your learner trace letters with a finger. The texture builds strong muscle memory for letter sequencing.

• Air Writing: Have them extend their arm fully and spell the word out large in the air while saying each letter out loud.

• Play-Doh / Letter Blocks: Mold letters out of clay or build words using Scrabble tiles, LEGO bricks with letters written on them, or magnetic fridge letters.

Visual & Creative Techniques

• Rainbow Writing: Write each spelling word in pencil first, then trace over each letter using 3 to 4 different colored crayons or markers to make them pop.

• Color-Coded Letters: Write vowels in one color (e.g., red) and consonants in another (e.g., blue) to emphasize phonics patterns and syllable boundaries.

Interactive & Game-Based Practice

• Spelling Basketball / Hopscotch: Call out a word. The learner shoots a basket or hops to a square only after correctly saying or spelling one letter at a time.

• Hangman or Word Ladder: Play standard classic word guessing games using only the current week's target list.

• Beat the Clock: Set a timer for 60 seconds and see how many words from the list they can spell correctly out loud or write neatly.

Self-Directed Study System

• Look, Cover, Write, Check:

  1. Look at the word carefully.

  2. Cover it with a card or hand.

  3. Write it down from memory.

  4. Check against the master list to correct errors immediately.

Tui Learning Community - Choose one only - Spelling, or, Handwriting, or Maths.