It can seem confusing or contradictory to a parent to have a child who can solve complex mathematical concepts and yet can't remember the multiplication tables. Sliverman points out in her book Upside-Down Brillance: The Visual-Spatial Learner that we need learning to be meaningful to engage the right-hemisphere. Therefore an individual who learns best when the right-hemisphere is engaged is at a distinct disadvantage when asked to perform basic, rote memory tasks as that is a left-hemispheric skill and lacks the necessary meaningfulness that a VSL (and any learner) requires for deep learning and understanding.
Often, the quick retrieval of basic skills are timed and expected to be immediate. This can cause additional stress and pressure for a child who is already struggling to retrieve the required information.
We will be watching a 2nd grade child, seven years nine months old, as he learns his multiplication tables using Alexandra Shires Golon's suggested methods for teaching the basic facts. You can find her downloadable PDF from her website here: Nothin' But the Facts: Teach the Times Tables in One Week or Less!
As we examine this process with our young learner, I will point out some of the indications of his struggles as a VSL trying to learn concepts in a school setting that rewards auditory-sequential style learning and instruction. To get around those auditory-sequential weaknesses, I will try to tap into the strengths of this very visual-spatial child. We will use color, kinesthetic resources like the "jeweled" counters you will see below, song, dance and rhythm and pattern recognition. VSLs are often adept at puzzle making and "puzzling through" complex concepts. Thus, I will be discussing algebraic concepts and explaining the commutative property to our second grade student.
Below are some images of our student going through prelearning exercises about grouping and the difference between addition and multiplication. This is a great method to use with VSLs because it teaches to the student's strengths in understanding big picture concepts or as one researcher calls it the gist of what is being taught.
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| Commutative Property: 2 x 5 = 10 is the same as... |
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| 5 x 2 = 10 |
Since this child is in the second half of his second grade year, he has been skip-counting (adding by 2's, 5's, and 10's) since the end of his first grade year. He has developed the number sense to begin learning his multiplication tables. This student has mastered his addition tables yet has proven to lag behind his peers in automaticity, or speed of retrieval. I will be less concerned about speed of retrieval in the upcoming lessons and more focused on using the student's VSL strengths to help him create mental images and kinesthetic sensibility about what he is learning.
Please visit again as we continue to watch our 2nd grade student work toward mastery of the multiplication tables!
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