This is the method I use when I see students who have not learnt their tables despite years of worksheets, drill and computer games. They are usually affected by this and well aware of the skill deficit. It doesn't always work, but when it does it's magic and these students go on to learn other times tables in the same way. They usually know 2x, 5x, 10x from skip counting in earlier years. I teach the 9x by the Tips and Tricks method.

I have bundled the STEPPING STONES boards I use:

• 3x Multiples
• 4x Multiples
• 6x Multiples
• 7x Multiples
• 8x Multiples

The PREVIEW for 3x is included to give you an idea.

This is an individual activity where a student is timed to track the multiples from stepping stone to stepping stone. You might be amazed at how quickly some students can learn this sequence while they are trying to beat previous their times. This is the method I use:

1. Learn the sequence of multiples (using hands-on material if necessary, Unifix is good for this step and I also use discs, taped together as a stack).

2. Write the sequence of multiples as you go.

3. Say the sequence - mask one, two or three multiples with your fingers to stimulate memory skills.

4. Now your learner is ready for Stepping Stones. The appeal of Stepping Stones for student is beating their time and wanting to do the impossible (two seconds). I have worked on this table for a while and the fastest time I have seen is four seconds in one session. There is no scientific basis for the times. I have adjusted it over the years as I have worked with students.

5. Ask the student to write the multiples from memory or say them out loud.

6. Link the sequence of multiples to fingers - say the multiple as the student displays fingers, e.g., 7x4 is seven fingers up and then say the 4x multiples sequence.

This sequence is definitely not prescriptive. Some students already understand the idea of a multiple so you can start with the board straight away.

While this method may not work for all my intervention students, it is amazing when it works because students can learn the whole table in under an hour. It's worth a try when nothing else is working efficiently. It requires one hour of one-on-one intervention and group consolidation for long-term memory retrieval.

Your group consolidation could be:

- Games in a Maths Centre (The Grid Game, Monkey Multiples, Master of Multiples, DONKEY, etc.)

- a quick game at the beginning or end of an Intervention Session (The Grid Game is the best game for this application)

- BINGO, especially with the whole class where you can use groups and place your learners with more skilled players and share the counters between them.